Sofia The First: The Last Weapon
by Ameniar7
Summary: Prince Hugo's Kingdom has fallen to Republican Rebels, monarchies across the ever realm now face popular uprisings. Sofia, now older, is reeling from a personal tragedy of her own, and must face her last battle as Protector of the Ever Realm as a new magical darkness descends, and Monarchists and Republicans must lay aside their hatred and work together to save the Ever Realm?
1. Prologue

Prologue

It was snowing in the Kingdom of Russivia as flying carriages from all over the world landed on their castle's stone runway bringing in royalty from the one-hundred and thirty eight kingdoms across the world.

Sofia was excited, she always liked parties, but perhaps this time for a different reason. The Enchancian Royal family had been among the first to arrive. The Ball to celebrate King Garrick the Third's twentieth year on the throne was beginning to take shape; the great hall was filled with dancers locked in an elegant waltz. Amber had already been asked to dance by young Prince Achilles, younger brother to the heir apparent to the Corinthian Throne.

At age fourteen, the time had come for King Roland and Queen Miranda to begin considering marriage for their two daughters. Although love needed not enter into the matter, Roland had noticed that Amber was spending a great deal of time with the older, very popular Prince Achilles. Amber, who was Enchancia's heir apparent, enjoyed spending time in Corinthia as well; one of her best friends, Princess Clio was from there, and she relished the chance of becoming Clio's sister-in-law. A Closer relationship with the resource-rich Kingdom of Corinthia would not be disadvantageous for Enchancia either.

Sofia seemed uninterested in such things, as Protector of the Ever Realm and keeper of stories, she hardly had time for anything but her work. Tonight was an exception though, it was the first time in three years that she was able to come to an event of this sort; the first time in three years that she was dressed in a Royal Gown.

She smiled as she watched Amber waltz intimately with Prince Achilles. She suddenly wished prince James was there, and wondered how long it would be before he found himself someone to court. Prince James, still a Junior Knight, was off following Sir Finnegan, probably wishing Finnegan's diplomatic mission to Arendelle was more exciting.

Sofia then caught a glance of her parents, Roland and Miranda, dancing together. They each gave an air of joy that was the same as what Sofia observed when they first met. They were very happy together, they were all very happy together. Sofia was glad for a moment to rest from her work and enjoy simply being.

"Sofia," came a voice from directly in front of her as she stood on the side of the dance floor. She was surprised to see Prince Hugo of Rusiva looking at her with an anxious yet hopeful smile, a smile Sofia returned.

"Hello Hugo,"

"Enjoying the party."

"Of course! You?"

His smile wavered. Sofia blushed.

"So, uh, I'm wondering, uh… well I mean… uh"

"I'd be happy to dance with you," Sofia interrupted. There was a pause. "I mean, if that's what you wanted?"

Hugo was suddenly more confident, "it was… it is, I mean."

Hugo offered Sofia his hand, she took it and followed him to the dance floor. Without saying anything the couple danced elegantly together. Sofia had first noticed Hugo in a romantic way when she was nine years old. Of course then they were both too young to do anything about it. Now, at fourteen, perhaps both of them could begin more of a relationship, Sofia thought as she smiled into his beaming face. If she could find the time that was. Perhaps he could come with her?

As Sofia and Hugo danced, a young, bespectacled, red-headed man in a Russivian Military Officer's Uniform entered the dance hall. He walked elegantly and with purpose across the center of the dance floor, toward the throne atop which sat King Garrick, Prince Hugo's father. His timing and personal control was such that, somehow, the couples managed to dance around him, not so much because they were dodging as because every movement of his body was perfectly timed.

As he reached the throne he stopped and stared at King Garrick without saying a thing.

"Count Andreas," said the king somewhat hesitantly. "Can I help you."

There was a brief pause during which the dancers continued.

"Garrick the Third!" The young man began, "in the name of the People of Russiva, you are under arrest, this gala is over."

By now those dancers, including Sofia, Hugo, Miranda and Roland had begun to notice the confrontation.

"Are you mad?" Garrick replied.

After ascending a few steps toward the throne, the young count turned to address the gathered crowd. In a voice that somehow carried across the entire room, he announced, "May I have your attention, please,"

The dancing stopped, all eyes were now upon this man as he spoke.

"This celebration is over," he continued. "All citizens and subjects of other nations may now proceed in an orderly fashion to their carriages or other suitable methods of transportation and proceed home. Those who remain, or who are unable to leave the country at once, will be incarcerated by the People's Army until such arrangements can be made for their return to their home countries. If any members of the Russivian Royal Family," at this point he turned to King Garrick, "any members at all, wish to leave the country as well, they will be allowed to do so."

"The People's Army!?" Garrick said dismayed, "You mean you've fallen in with these rebels!?"

"I'm sorry uncle, but your reign is at an end, the new Republic rises tonight."

"What's going on!?" Demanded King Roland of Enchancia, Queen Miranda still holding his hand, "King Garrick who is this man?"

"A traitor apparently," Garrick Replied.

"You're the traitor, Uncle," said the Count. "The People's Army is generously offering you a way to save yourself and your family, I suggest you take it."

"What is this _People's Army_?" Demanded Roland.

"A group of insignificant Political terrorists with an absurd ideology," Said Garrick. "Who have made a grievous mistake, GUARDS!"

Several men in Royal Guard Uniforms, brandishing muskets surrounded the Count. The Count stood unflinching, as if everything was proceeding according to plan. A sudden "boom" as if from a cannon shook the very room.

"I think you'll find, Uncle, that we are hardly insignificant," the young Count began. "Gentlemen!"

The Guards suddenly aimed their muskets at King Garrick.

"Guards! What are you doing!?" Protested King Garrick. "What is this!"

"As the young Count Andreas, or should I say, Mister Andreas Mulenik has said," began a berobed younger woman with a powerful presence who carried a wand as she approached the throne dias, "the end of your reign, and the beginning of the Ever Realm's first Republic."

The sounds of the canons outside became more frequent, accompanied by screams of projectiles flying through the air.

"Ariana Karamova!" said King Garrick. "I trusted you."

"You have taxed our people into poverty, Uncle," said Andreas Mulenik as Karamova arrived at is side, "It was only a matter of time."

A sudden shout of "Your Majesty" came from the other end of the ballroom, followed by the roar of musket fire.

"No," shouted Ariana, who waved her wand causing a massive blue shockwave to appear out of nowhere, knocking everyone in the room down but her.

When Sofia came to, there was a ringing in her ears. The room was full of small chunks of debris lying about. She was suddenly aware of more distant booming sounds. A thought came to her mind, "how did I miss this?" She struggled, lifting herself up from the ground as if doing a pushup. "I am the protector of the Ever Realm, what did I miss?"

Her thoughts were interrupted by her mother taking her by the arm, lifting her to her feet.

"We have to go," said her father, who was carrying Amber in his arms as if she was an infant, Sofia noticed a red stain on her chest. Her face gave off a pained expression. Sofia noticed people running around almost aimlessly. The room was now a mess, most of the royals had evacuated but several people in military uniforms were running about brandishing swords, pistols, and other kinds of weapons.

Prince Hugo approached the group from behind, a small pistol held in his right hand pointed upward.

"You have to leave now, the rebels have surrounded the castle," Hugo said.

With Amber still cradled in his arms, Roland turned to him, "and you're coming with us."

"I can't," said Hugo, "my place is here."

"Yes it is," Roland began, "but you can't win this battle, you're the only living heir to the throne, _you _have to survive."

"Roland, we have to get Amber to a Hospital."

"Follow me!" Said Hugo leading the Enchancians through to a corridor.

The group seemed to be walking in a maze as they were joined by Royal Guards, led by an older man in Uniform who said, "The Rebels have broken through the Castle Walls, Sire, we have to get you to the runway!"

A sudden burst of Musket fire came from behind, several of the guards fell, including the older man. The remaining guards formed a firing line behind Hugo and the Enchancians. Without Missing a beat, Hugo led the Enchancians into a small, dark tunnel which they followed for what seemed like hours. They emerged into a snow-swept wood. Sofia turned to see the castle behind them on a hilltop ablaze. She could make out explosions from canonfire and sparks as they flew from wands.

Waiting for them in an opening in the woods was a carriage behind a flying horse. A man in a Russivian Uniform sat ready to give the horse whipping that would signal it to go forward. The group climbed as quickly as they could into the crowded carriage. Amber grimaced and moaned as her laid her onto the floor of the carriage.

"Go!" ordered Hugo as sounds came from behind them.

In the distance musket-bearing person shaped shadows fired causing a lighting storm to erupt from their musket barrels. As the flying horse began his gallop, a cry of pain came from Queen Miranda. She fell forward and was caught by Roland, his footing on the carriage floor careful to not step on the rough-breathing Amber. Blood was gushing from a musket ball-created hole in her chest.

The Carriage was now just barely airborne, Sofia came to her mother's side…

"Mom!"

Miranda was looking into Roland's tearful eyes, she turned her head gently to look into Sofia's. She raised her arm and gently caressed her daughters cheek.

"Oh Sofia…" she breathed heavily… "I… I…" Her eyes slowly closed and her head fell to its side."

Sofia collapsed into the seat of the carriage as it flew hard into the night. She heard her father roar at the top of his lungs. While the tears fell from her eyes freely, she was silent, paralyzed by shock. Roland's angry shouts spread across the night sky as the flying carriage carried them to safety.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

It took a week for James to arrive from Arendelle. Cedric managed to cast a spell to preserve the bodies until then. The Great Hall of the Enchancian Palace was filled with dignitaries, some wearing military uniforms, some wearing black. A Military honor guard escorted the ornate coffins as they processed down the center to the dias, atop which sat the remaining members of the Enchancian Royal Family.

King Roland was dressed in a Uniform smartly, but looked far more disheveled than Sofia had ever seen him. James likewise was in Uniform, wearing his sword at its side. Sofia wore a black gown, her hair uncomfortably up tightly, a thin veil covered her face.

The caskets were open, both Amber and Miranda were laid out beautifully in their finest gowns, rose pedals spread artfully throughout the interior of their caskets. The caskets reached the front of the room and were placed ceremoniously in front of the dias. There was silence in the great hall. Sofia stood as she had rehearsed and walked to the center. All eyes were fixed on her as she failed to fight back tears, but managed enough control to sing.

Her beautiful voice filled the hall as it sang a soft lullaby

Sleep my darling on my bosom

Harm will never come to you;

Mother's arms enfold you safely

Mother's arms ever true.

As you sleep there's naught to scare you,

Naught to wake you, from your rest

Close those eyelids, little Angel

Sleep upon your mother's breast

Sleep, my darling, night is falling

Rest in slumber sound and deep

I would know why you are smiling,

Smiling sweetly, as you sleep

Do you see those angels smiling

As they see your rosy rest

So that you must smile an answer

As you slumber on my breast.

Don't be frightened, tis a leaflet

Tapping tapping on the door;

Don't be frightened, t'was a wavelet

Sighing sighing on the shore

Slumber slumber, naught can hurt you

Nothing bring you harm or fright.

Slumber darling smiling sweetly

Angels guard you, robed in white.

After finishing, she hurried back to her chair, losing her control, she sobbed uncontrollably. James, who was sitting next to her took her hand in his from his throne.

Roland said nothing throughout the entire proceeding. The Bishop gave a Eulogy, followed by many whom Sofia knew but did not remember after the funeral was over. They spoke of "honor," "courage," "duty," "love." They called the Russivian Rebels "cowards," "murderers."

Roland, Sofia, and James remembered none of it. It all seemed to proceed as if in a blur. The next thing they knew, they were standing on a hillside near the castle with a statue of Miranda and Amber rising from the flowery ground. In the statue, Miranda sat on her throne, smiling, amber stood next to her, also smiling. The two's arms were around each other's backs. Amber's head rested on Miranda's shoulder.

Below the statute was an opening into a dark crypt into which the military honor guard ceremoniously carried the two now-closed caskets to their final resting place. Standing by Sofia, wearing a uniform, holding her hand was Hugo, now King-in-Exile of Russivia. The Military Honor guard closed a stone door, sealing the lifeless bodies of Amber and Miranda in their tomb forever.

James placed his hand upon his father's back.

"Dad," he began.

Roland ignored him and simply walked off alone. After giving James a significant look, Baileywick followed hesitantly after him. James turned around to see Sofia being held in Hugo's arms, sobbing into his chest, his own tears for his own family flowed freely. James wandered off alone.

He walked around the Castle grounds for hours, thinking, occasionally throwing a rock into the sea. He ended up at the Knights' Camp, the various tents bearing the Knights' colors dotted the grounds. As he approached, Sir Finnegan came to stand in front of him, flanked by Sir Bartleby and Sir Maxwell. The three had grave expressions. James came to stand about five feet away when he suddenly walked forward into Sir Finnegan who received him in an embrace. Bartleby and Maxwell placed their hands on James' shoulder as if blessing him.

He found some comfort there among those whom he wanted to be: knights.


	2. Chapter 1: Two Years Later

James sat atop the large rock heaving, a sharp pain in his flank. The Sun was just crossing the threshold from Afternoon into Early Evening, they still had time to make it back to the Castle if they left soon.

Of course the dragon wouldn't listen to reason, so James had to be more "persuasive." It wasn't a particularly large dragon, just bold, and its snoozing had flooded the Enchancian mountain village of Rock Spring with Smoke.

It wasn't the first time young Sir James had proven himself in battle, but it was the first time a dragon's claw managed to slash his flank.

"This armor is useless," he muttered to himself, panting hard, "and heavy."

He heard the metallic clanging of approaching armor. He looked up and saw as Sir Finnegan approached, coming up the mountain with Hugo by his side, both wore Knight's armor, though Hugo wore the armor of a Knight of Russivia.

"I'm alright!" James shouted to them.

"You gotta learn patience little Prince!" said Sir Finnegan as he continued walking up the hill.

"Hey, that's Sir James to you, Old Man," James said half-jokingly.

"I know what your name is, little prince! And you're not First Knight yet, and if you keep actin like this..."

"Hey, I won didn't I," said James, exasperated, "The dragon's gone isn't he? The Village is safe, it's happy ever after in Rock Spring."

By now Finnegan and Hugo had reached James' position. Finnegan extended his armored arm to James who took it with his hand. Finnegan pulled James to his feet. Hugo knelt before him, examining his flank.

"Right through the Armor, James," he said, "looks like it grazed you a bit, don't worry, the venom's toxic, but you didn't get the full dose."

"Ah," breathed James heavily, "That's good to know."

James started to lose balance, Finnegan tightened his grip.

"Looks like you've had a bit too much ale, Little Prince."

"He has had a bit too much ale," said Hugo.

"Hey," James was weaving slightly. "I never drink before a mission."

"One of the active ingredients in Dragon Venom is C2H5OH, commonly called alcohol," said Hugo comically, "you're drunk, James."

"Oh is that what it is," replied James, "I thought this felt rather pleasant.

"Little King would know," said Finnegan, "All that time he spends with your sister."

James fell to his knees, panting.

"He can't ride back can he," said Finnegan.

"Oh he'll be alright, it won't stay in his system long. Better give him about a half-hour or so."

The sound of a Trumpet blew from the sky. A group of five flying horses flew overhead.

"Bartleby's not going to be happy waiting on this mountain longer than he has to, the King wanted you two back at the castle an hour ago."

"The King sent us on this mission," heaved James, "he can wait."

"Your Father's not as patient a man as he used to be," said Finnegan.

"What's he going to do, Ignore us? That'll be the day."

"He's still your Father."

"So I'm told."

James stood up, stretching his arms and legs.

"I'll be alright, I can ride."

"Yeah, well just don't fall off, Little Prince, I don't want blood splattered all over the Enchancian Forest."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Minimus approached the area around the secret Library slowly, he landed carefully as he always did, especially these days as he was getting older. Sofia, now sixteen years old, wearing her Protectors' Uniform and a modest engagement ring, dismounted and gave him a gentle pat.

"Thank you minimus."

"You're welcome Princess, you want me to wait?"

"If you don't mind, I'll be wanting to meet the Knights as they're riding back."

"Of course, Princess."

Inside the Library, Sofia returned a book to its place and a male narrator told her of a completed tale with a happy ending. "Another happy ending," she thought with a sigh. She turned away from the magical screen on the bottom level of the library to a small rabbit resting quietly atop a small pillow, a half-eaten carrot by its head. She gave the rabbit a gentle pat on the head.

"Hi Sof," it said weakly.

"Another lazy day, Clover?"

Clover was much older now, his fur was becoming disheveled with gaps exposing near-bare skin. As Sofia spent most of her time in the Secret Library anyways (except when visiting Hugo), she moved Clover's home to the library. Whatnaught, Mia, and Robin had all three died; only Clover and Minimus were left.

Sofia pondered on the disadvantage of having so many animal friends; they don't live long. She was only sixteen and she had already outlived so many of her friends. She felt lonely, and, and this Loneliness, even Hugo could not fill.

A sudden light filled the room, she turned to see the magical screen. Apparently a book had flown down to the screen on its own while she was facing Clover. The narrator spoke…

"_The Tale of the Ever Realm"_

She used to find the titles of the stories she was to complete odd, but as she had been finishing more and more of them lately, she thought that nothing could surprise her anymore. She found this one to be surprising. A thought of annoyance came over her: "oh no, this one' going to be big."

Sofia suddenly saw images of things she had never seen before; images of automobiles, airplanes, hospitals. She saw images of mega cities with thousands of people walking through the streets

"_Thousands of Centuries ago, the world was very different. Even the Continents appeared differently. Human beings, who alone were the sole intelligent race on the planet, did not possess magical abilities, but instead produced great machines to meet their needs. For the most part, their machines, technologies, and sciences improved human lives. People lived longer, few infants died in childbirth, and human beings were even able to travel to the stars._

Sofia suddenly saw a bright, white light, such that she had to wince. For a split second she could feel heat emanating from the magic screen. A giant cloud emerged from the brightness, shaped like a mushroom or piece of cauliflower. She found herself genuinely frightened, her mouth hanging slightly open as she watched bodies, even bodies of children burning alive, and then flying apart as a massive shockwave hit them.

"_Unfortunately this science and technology allowed people to build weapons of incredible destruction. Bombs capable of destroying whole cities; killing millions of men, women, and children in a single instant, and leaving the survivors to die slowly of sickness and starvation._

She saw images of people lying in cots, their hair seemed to be falling out, their skin covered with red boils. She saw gray, ruined cities and white powder falling like snow. She saw skeletons and burnt bodies strewn about a gray, barren hellscape.

"_These weapons destroyed the mighty civilizations that humanity had built, and nearly caused extinction of our species, but also provided a path to world's rebirth._

An image suddenly came of a giant cylindrical metal room with a huge conical shaped object with a red tip pointing directly upward.

"_Below this very library is the last of their kind; an unused relic of aeons past. These Weapons, including the one below, give off a powerful energy that can kill, but also give life and powers, they are the origin of intelligent life outside of humanity, and they are the origin of all magic._

An image came of wizards standing in a circle, among whom were Cedric and his father, Goodwin the Great. This image seemed recent to Sofia, suggesting that it happened within the last few years.

"_Ancient texts from long ago kept the memory of past human sciences alive, this knowledge has been passed down for generations among the most powerful families of Royal Sorcerers."_

"Mr. Cedric," Sofia whispered to herself.

"_...and those who would covet power above all else have long sought for the ability to bring this science back, that they may cultivate weapons and technologies capable of conquering, or perhaps destroying all life in the Ever Realm. This is why the location of this library has remained secret, for fear that the wrong persons might discover the last Weapon's whereabouts, but those who would seek this power have already discovered a clue to its location and plans to recover it are already in motion._

Sofia realized that what was coming was bigger than her confrontation with Vor, bigger than anything she had faced. She felt afraid.

"_The Tale of Sofia the First has already had a happy ending, now she must bring the world's story to its happy ending; She is the Harbinger of the End of History, the End that is upon us all; but what this means is up to her. The beginning of the end, lies with the Circle of Two Three Five._

The images suddenly stopped and she fell to her knees, paralyzed by the destruction she saw and her responsibility to prevent it from happening again. A blue book flew down to her, landing in front of her face as it looked to the ground.

"I wanted to meet you here before you saw that," said a familiar female voice. "I see I was too late."

Sofia stood and turned to find her aunt, Duchess Matilda, behind her, her usual kindly smile replaced by a grave expression.

"My God!"

There was a pause before Tilly continued, "The Library showed me something very similar twenty years ago. I almost threw the amulet aside and ran away."

"What did it show you?"

"The same thing it has shown every library keeper up until me, the prophecy of the 'Two Three Five.'"

"Two Three Five? What does that even mean?"

"I don't know, and nor did the Library keeper before me."

Tilly approached and put her hand on Sofia's shoulder.

"I was hoping it wouldn't be you, but I am not surprised. You are the princess who was chosen to Free Elena of Avalor, chosen to be the Protector of the Ever Realm, you are the most accomplished bearer of the Amulet of Avalor."

Anxiety came over her and a tear streamed from her eyes.

"I can't do this, Aunt Tilly," she said, "I don't even know where to start."

"You have to have to faith, Sofia."

"Faith!?"

"That you will be led where you need to be."

"I never thought of you as religious."

"I'm not, but I've seen a lot of strange things, and I've learned to trust that there is good in this world, good that is beyond my ability to comprehend, and somehow you and I have always been led to where we need to be."

Sofia sighed.

"After the last two years, and especially after seeing the images that I just saw, I'm not sure that I share that faith."

There was another Pause.

"What does the End of History Mean."

"That's up to you, Sofia."

"How does that make any sense? Does it mean that I am somehow responsible for the destruction of everything? The Death of Everyone?"

"Again, I think that's up to you, Sofia."

Another Pause, Sofia looked to the floor.

"You know, Sofia," Tilly began, "The Library didn't tell you when all of this was to happen, you could still have many years. And we don't know what the End of History means, you may yet live a long, happy life."

"How am I supposed to go on after this?" Sofia Responded, "how am I supposed to go home, Marry Hugo, have children, protect the Ever Realm when the future of literally everyone is hanging on my shoulders? Or am I being selfish?" her question betrayed a slight sarcasm.

"I don't think so, I think you deserve to have the life that you want, unfortunately not everyone gets that chance."

"Like Amber," Tears really were streaming down her face now.

"I believe in you, Sofia, and I believe that life is a gift, and I believe that you have every right to enjoy whatever time you have left before whatever 'the end of history' is happens. Go home, get married, live every moment as if it were your last, and at the same time, live it as if you would live forever."

The two heard the neigh of a horse coming from outside, but only Sofia understood...

"Princess, they're coming!"

"How did you know that I would be here today? How did you know to meet me here?"

"You're not the only one the Library Summons, and there's more magic out there than just your amulet."

Without another word Sofia turned to leave, she was still quite terrified, and uncertain of her aunt's "faith," but she resolved to fake it for now; she had, after all been waiting for Hugo and James to return.

"Where are you going?" Asked Tilly.

"To go live my life!" replied Sofia, walking off.

"Whiz Bang," said Tilly softly.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The five Knights rode in a perfect V formation atop flying horses. The Enchancian Castle was now in view as they approached it from the East. Sir Bartleby led the group, Sir Finnegan and Sir Maxwell rode to his right, James and Hugo to his left. As they continued their approach, they saw another person on a flying horse coming in from the South. It was barely recognizable, but they knew immediately what (and who) it was.

"It's Sofia!" shouted James.

"She said she'd meet us in the air," said Hugo.

"You two better keep formation, or you'll be scrubbing shields and armor with toothbrushes!" shouted Finnegan.

Sofia came to fly parallel with the V on James and Hugo's side. She was about ten yards off. She looked over at Hugo and James, giving them a smile, daring them to chase her. She then dove on Minimus straight for the Castle.

"I think we've been challenged!" said Hugo.

"Don't do it little Prince!"

"Sorry, Sir Finnegan, don't worry you'll see your face shining in your armor once I'm done with it," said James.

"I Better!" shouted Finnegan as James and Hugo broke off.

James and Hugo flew as fast as they knew how, they were gaining on Sofia, but by now she was already a half-mile ahead of them, coming in hard on the castle runway. Minimus touched down at a hard gallop. Sofia groaned at the whiplash of the landing. She had prepared herself for it, but it was still painful. Hugo landed second, then James.

It took the whole runway for Sofia to slow down enough to dismount Minimus. When she did she sprinted back toward the two riders giving chase. Hugo jumped off of his horse well before safety dictated he should have, uninjured he sprinted toward Sofia. The two met at a half-sprint, wrapping their arms around each other. Hugo lifted Sofia in the air, spinning her around as their lips touched.

James smiled as he dismounted, torn between being happy that Sofia was happy and not wanting to see such a public display of affection. He suddenly felt an arm wrap around his back. Knowing instinctively who it was and placed his arm around the back of Ruby Henshaw. He turned his head to her at the same time she turned to him; the two shared a short kiss.

"If you all are quite finished," came Baileywick's voice from the Castle entrance, "you've been summoned to see the King, and you're late!"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The throne room and the great hall were empty these days. The last two years, King Roland preferred more spartan surroundings. He found a dark room with a fireplace that he turned into an office where he spent most of his time. It was stone, plain, with only a small, wooden desk to break the grayness of the room.

King Roland no longer wore a Uniform but a black suit and a short, well-trimmed beard. He stood behind his desk facing the fireplace, his back was to Sofia, Hugo, and James.

"I've called you three here because I've made a decision that I believe best for the Kingdom," Roland began with a flat affect. "Hugo, I have decided to withdraw Enchancia's recognition of your government-in-exile."

This hit the other three with a shock, especially Hugo whose face wasted no time displaying a quiet rage. Roland simply continued without missing a beat.

"Your Russivian Supporters will vacate the embassy and be allowed safe passage to any kingdom they'd like. You're welcome to stay here with Sofia, or she may accompany you wherever you wish. In any case, we're going to formally recognize the Republic of Russivia, their ambassador will be arriving tomorrow."

None of the three youths moved. There was a pause. Roland simply kept staring into the fireplace.

"How could you," Hugo broke the silence. "After what they did to my family, you can't do this!"

Sofia took Hugo's hand in support, her face also enraged.

Roland kept staring into the fireplace. "You'll find that I can, young man. The Republic has created prosperity for your people, your father left them in poverty, it's time to look forward not backwards."

"This is about silk isn't it." Said Hugo. "Russivian silkworms which the poor Enchancian aristocrats have had to do without for two years, Oh how terrible for them. LOOK AT ME YOU BASTARD!"

Roland turned around, his flat face changed into one of anger.

"What Kind of man are you!? You would betrayed me, my parents and my brothers who were murdered by those rebel… shits!"

"I took you in, boy!" Roland said quietly but harsly. "I let you betrothe my daughter, I gave you a home, and unless you want all of that to be revoked I suggest you hold your tongue."

"Father, this isn't right and you know it!" Said James.

"What I know is that last year's harvest was twelve percent less than the year before, our population is growing and Russivia has a surplus, we have mouths to feed! Our people come before his family and if you want to be king someday you'll want to learn that."

Hugo let go of Sofia's hands and walked out the door, slamming it behind him. Sofia gave her father a hateful glare as she followed after him.

"The man you were before would never do something like this," said James.

Roland turned back to the fireplace.

"The man I was before was a fool, and it's time for you to grow up."

There was a pause.

"Get out," said Roland.

James' face was one of disgust and sadness as he walked out of the room, also slamming the door shut.


	3. Chapter 2: The Council

In a large hall in the Enchancian Royal Castle, members of the Russivian Government-in-exile shouted over one another, vying for attention. At a dias in the front of the room stood a table, at which sat Hugo and Sofia in the center, beside them to their left and right stood various persons, some in Russivian Military Uniform. The man sitting immediately to Hugo's right banged a gavel as hard as he could.

"ORDER! WE WILL HAVE ORDER!"

"This Government is Finished!" shouted a man from the floor to Jeers from others. "Fifty seven of one-hundred and thirty-seven kingdoms have recognized the Republic, we have had no word from the resistance in Russivia in six months, it is likely they have been destroyed; we have no army!"

Jeers and shouts of "Traitor!" came from the floor.

"I move that we immediately dissolve this government, perhaps the Republic will grant amnesty as they have repeatedly offered."

"You can gravel to them if you want, sir," said Hugo, calmly breaking his silence. "As for myself, I will not dishonor my father, my brothers, or my family. I stand as the legitimate King of Russivia and that I will stay until I die."

The floor erupted, most cheered but a few shouted as if to argue with Hugo. The man sitting to Hugo's right banged the gavel.

"Gentlemen!" shouted one man in a military uniform, "Gentlemen Please Gentlemen."

The man to Hugo's right pointed the gavel at him, the shouting died down.

"Gentlemen please, we must move quickly if this government is to survive."

"We've sent word to our emissaries in Avalor," Said Sofia, "Queen Elena owes me a favor, I'm confident she will…"

"I mean now! This instant," the man replied.

"We need to get the King out of Enchancia Right now."

"We have nowhere to go," said Sofia.

"Into hiding, your majesty," the man clarified, "Enchancia has withdrawn its recognition of this government, the Republican Ambassador is arriving tomorrow, Enchancian wants resources, what makes you think giving the Republicans His Majesty's head isn't part of the arrangement?"

"My father wouldn't…"

"Wouldn't kill His Majesty?" the man continued, "Like he wouldn't Betray us? Roland is not the man you knew growing up! His honor perished with your mother…"

Sofia felt enraged but at the same time a quiet agreement of what the man said.

"...we have to act now to preserve the legitimate government of our country, we should get King Hugo out of this castle, and out of this country immediately, especially when there could be…"

The man's eyes fell on Sofia but he hesitated.

"Say what you must, cousin," said Hugo, "don't leave it there!"

"Your Majesty, it is my duty to point out, that we may have Enchancian spies in our midst."

The hall erupted. Half cheered, half shouted in shock. There were cries of "How dare you!" and "Long live the Future Queen!"

Hugo put his hand in the air, the shouting subsided.

"I thank you for your honesty, but wherever I go, my fiance comes with me, as for her loyalty..."

"I can speak for myself, Hugo," said Sofia. "As future Queen, I swore allegiance to the Legitimate Government of Russivia and to him is to be my husband! I will not betray that allegiance, I will not betray my love!"

The floor erupted in cheers. Sofia extended her hand, the cheering subsided.

"Whatever his political allegiances, I do not believe my Father would harm my Fiance, but if Hugo insists on leaving now, I go with him; wherever he goes, I go, and Enchancia be damned!"

The floor again erupted in Cheers, some cried "Long live the future Queen!"

After the cheers subsided, Hugo spoke out.

"As for myself, I shall not hide in shame. I am the rightful King of Russivia, I will not cower in the face of the rebel… _Ambassador_."

"Your Majesty, I beg you to reconsider," the man said. "You _are _the rightful King and your safety is paramount to the survival of this government!"

After a moment of silence, Hugo spoke again. "Yakov, you are my second cousin, closest living relative who hasn't betrayed us, as I King I act upon my right to declare a successor, if anything should happen to me, the throne falls to you."

There was chatter throughout the hall; the man to Hugo's right spoke out.

"Your majesty the council has to approve such an action."

"All in favor of acclimating King Hugo's determination of his cousin, Yakov Polijarni as successor in the event of his death, say aye," shouted Sofia.

The floor erupted in ayes!

"All opposed," said the man to Hugo's right.

A few nays came.

"The Royal guard will remove Grand Duke Polijarni from the Castle," Said the man to Hugo's right, "and proceed with him into hiding, send a trusted messenger back as soon as you arrive at a safe location."

"Yes your majesty," said Polijarni.

"I'll escort them out of the castle," said Sofia, getting up to proceed with Polijarni and the guards out of the room.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

At an inn in the small enchancian town of Leavenworth, Andreas Mulenik, now sporting a beard with his uniform, sat by alone in a room by a fire, applying paint to small, wooden pieces of a model ship that he had not yet glued together. As long as he remembered, he loved sailing vessels. He devoutly wished Russiva wasn't land-locked. He never went to sleep at the hour he was supposed to, one of his many hobbies usually kept him awake, and to be fair, it was the only time in which he could indulge them.

There was a knock at the door.

"Come in," he said.

A young man in a Russivian Military Uniform entered. The Uniforms of the Republic of Russivia were almost identical to those of the old Kingdom. The young man saluted, Mulenik gave him a nod.

"How can I help you, Comrade?"

Mulenik continued his hobby work.

"News from the Enchancian Castle, Mr. Ambassador, Hugo will remain in the castle."

Mulenik took a deep breath, "hmm, that'll make things interesting."

"He has also determined a successor should anything happen to him."

"He's afraid King Roland has offered to turn him over to us. Intelligent, but misguided, Hugo can play King all he wants, he's of no interest; it's Sofia I want to talk to. Who's the successor?"

"Yakov Polijarni, sir."

"He's no fool, he'll have left the castle by now."

"Should we…"

"No! Absolutely not!" Mulenik had now taken his eyes off of his work. "The Prime Minister's offer of amnesty is still open and it _will _be honored. If Hugo, Polijarni, or anyone else renounces the throne, they are to be welcomed as citizens of the Republic. If Polijarni wants to go into hiding, let him."

"We think they might try to relocate to Avalor, Sir."

"That's a possibility, Queen Elena hasn't exactly warmed to the Republic as King Roland has; alright, Colonel, thank you, that'll be all."

The young man saluted and left. Mulenik returned to his painting. While trying to get a very small spot with his brush, his right hand suddenly, ever-so-slightly shook, getting a small amount of black paint where it shouldn't be. He sighed, putting his brush in a small bowl of water, he took his right hand into his left, massaging it.

"Dammit," He whispered to himself. "Alright, I'll try again tomorrow!"

Mulenik began putting away the dry pieces into a leather drawstring sack

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King Roland sat in a spartan chair with his back to his desk, staring into his fire. A knock came on the door.

"I said I didn't want to be disturbed."

The Knock came again. The King sighed.

"Alright, fine what is it."

The door opened, in walked Sofia. Roland didn't turn around to see her.

"Dad."

Roland sighed.

"Sofia."

"Will you look at me!?"

Roland turned to face her. For the first time in the last two years he saw redness below his eyes; he had been crying. He forced himself into an emotionless expression.

"What do you want?"

"I've come to make sure that my fiance's life isn't in danger."

"Why would I kill him?"

"I don't know, why would you kill him? Perhaps the question should be: what have the rebels given you to kill him?"

"This may surprise you, but the Republic isn't after him."

"You believe that?"

"Do you believe me?"

"I don't know, Dad," Sofia herself was now trying to hold back tears. "I used to trust you, but ever since…"

Roland looked down at the floor, "ever since your mother died I haven't been the same man, I know."

Roland sat down in his chair facing the fire.

"Your fiance is in no danger from me. I know the Republic better than you do, believe it or not; and I don't think he's in any danger from them, but if anything should happen to him, trading partner or not, I will punish them severely."

There was a long pause. Sofia had what she came for, but something kept her in place.

"Is there something else?" Roland asked.

Sofia was hesitant to ask, her anger from before was replaced by pity.

"What happened to you, Dad."

"You know what happened, you were there."

There was another Pause. Roland stood back up and faced Sofia.

"You know I admire you, I always have," he said. "I admire you most of all for how you braved your mother's death. I couldn't…"

Roland looked down at the floor, struggling to come up with the right words.

"We need you, Dad, James and I" Sofia said. "I need you."

Roland looked her in the eye for the first time in two years.

"I'll try."

Sofia nodded and left.


	4. Chapter 3: The Ambassador

King Roland almost never left his little office. His faithful Steward, Baileywick always saw to his privacy. For official functions he would go to the throne room or the great hall. The reception of a new Ambassador usually involved a great deal of pomp and circumstance. Less so since Queen Miranda's death.

In this case Roland sat on his throne, flanked by Prince James; neither of whom looked particularly excited. Notably absent was princess Sofia. In truth she was listening with Prince Hugo, at the edge of a hallway in the back corner of the throne room; a hallway that was obscured by ornate cloths and Tapestries that gave embiance to the thrones.

Baileywick stood at the opposite end of the throne room near the double doors. He said in a loud and clear voice.

"Announcing the arrival of His Excellency, Andreas Mulenik, Ambassador of the Republic of Russivia."

Two guards opened the double doors leading into the throne room. Through the doors came a small procession of dignitaries led by Mulenik in a humble black coat and vest, with a white cravat. He walked carefully, with care put into every step. Flanking him to his right was a young man in a Russivian Colonel's uniform.

"My first cousin," mumbled Hugo to Sofia, his eyes fixed on Mulenik, a calm anger in his voice.

"I remember him from that night, he led the rebels into the castle," Replied Sofia.

Behind him were assorted men in coats, vests, and cravats, and women in formal dresses. When Mulenik and the Colonel arrived at the foot of the steps leading up to the thrones, they gave a polite but informal head-bow-almost a nod-to King Roland and Prince James.

"Your Excellency," said Roland with a flat affect, "I welcome you and your delegation to the Kingdom of Enchancia."

"Your Majesty," replied Mulenik with a polite smile. He produced a large scroll and handed it to Baileywick who had by now arrived at the foot of the throne. Baileywick handed the scroll to the king.

"I present my credentials to you on behalf of the Supreme Council of the People's Republic of Russivia and present myself as the Russivian People's representative to your kingdom."

"I accept your credentials, your excellency," said Roland without unrolling the scroll. "Mr. Baileywick will escort you to your embassy in the Castle."

"Thank you sire," said Mulenik with a polite headbow.

"This way please," said Baileywick.

The delegation was escorted to the same room in which the Russivian Government in Exile had met previously. Mulenik's people immediately began setting the room up with flags of the Republic, desks and file cabinets.

"Would your excellency like to accompany me to his quarters?" Asked Baileywick.

"Thank you," said Mulenik. The young Colonel approached to join them, "You can remain here, Comrade."

The Colonel nodded. Baileywick and Mulenik walked uncomfortably together through the castle corridors.

"Mister Baileywick," Mulenik Began, "What protocol would I follow if I wished to speak with a member of the Royal Family?"

"Which member?"

"I have a matter to bring to the attention of the Protector of the Ever Realm."

The two continued to walk.

"If I may be perfectly honest, sir, I doubt that she'd want to see you."

"I imagine not, just tell her that I have information vital to the survival of the entire Ever Realm, and that it has to do with the Circle of Two-Three-Five. I think she'll know what I mean."

Baileywick's affect continued as flat as ever.

"I'll pass your message, sir, but I wouldn't expect anything."

"Thank you, Mr. Baileywick."

The two arrived at Mulenik's quarters. To his delight he had a view of the harbor.

"If his Excellency requires anything, he is free to avail himself of the Castle Staff.

"Thank you, Mr. Baileywick, I'm alright for now."

Baileywick nodded and left. Mulenik walked quickly, excitedly to the window. He threw it opened and gazed at the sea. Russivia was landlocked and he had only rarely seen the ocean. He took a deep breath. The sea air was everything he had hoped. He couldn't wait to actually get out on the ocean. He planned to charter a schooner as soon as possible.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"He wants to speak to me!" Said sofia in surprise.

"He said he had a matter to bring to your attention," Answered Baileywick. "He said it was vital to the survival of the Ever Realm."

Baileywick, Sofia, and Hugo were in Sofia's bedroom, the same one she had when she first arrived at the castle.

"He's a manipulative_Sukin syn_!" Said Hugo. "I don't know what he wants but I say ignore him."

"I'm afraid I'm inclined to agree with his Majesty, King Hugo," Said Baileywick, the symbolism of Baileywick's referring to Hugo as "King," in spite of Enchancia's change of heart was not lost on Hugo and Sofia, "Nevertheless he did say that his business had something to do with, Oh what was it, 'The Circle of Two-Three-Five.'"

Sofia took a deep breath. Part of her felt a desperate resignation, she had hoped she had more time.

"Do you know what that means, your highness?" Asked Baileywick.

Sofia turned and walked to look out the window of her room. From her room she could see the treehouse/ship that she and her brother and sister played in as children, in the distance she saw the sea, almost a perfect blue as the sun slowly began its journey toward the western horizon.

She suddenly turned and walked toward the door.

"Where are you going?" Asked Hugo.

"To see Cedric."

"Cedric?"

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Cedric enjoyed being alone with his work. He found Wormwood's absence most helpful in fact. Today he was working on a spell to increase soil fertility. There was a knock at the door.

"Come in."

The door opened.

"Ah Princess Sofia," said Cedric excited.

The two of them embraced.

"Hello Cedric."

"It's been a long time, please come in, I have some tea on the stove…"

"What is The Circle of Two-Three-Five?"

Cedric sighed. He paused as if unsure of how to answer.

"I'm not sure I know how to answer that, Princess."

"You are a member."

Cedric nodded.

"That doesn't mean that I know as much as you may think."

Cedric turned and went back to his book.

"Cedric I have to know."

"Hundreds of centuries ago, before the formation of the Mystic Isles and the introduction of what we call 'magic,' to our world, the ancients used science to build unimaginable machines. They cultivated what might be called the magic of nature around them to harness energy and build massive civilizations."

Cedric walked to a drawer, opened it and pulled out a grey circular piece of metal with the numbers "2068" carved into it. He set in on a table in the center of the room.

"This small piece of metal would have made the ancients very ill were they not wearing protection," said Cedric. "After the Apocalypse, their remaining descendants, our ancestors, developed an immunity to whatever it is that this metal gives off, and from it, magical abilities. Somehow, and I don't know how, it created the Mystic Isles, the origin of all magic in the Ever Realm"

"What is it?"

"We don't know it's name, all we know is that it has something to do with the letter 'U.' There are at least two types of 'U:' Two-three-eight, and two-three-five." We have no idea what those numbers mean, what we do know is that this," cedric was touching the metal disc on his table, "is U-Two-Three-Eight. The ancients used it to harness energy to power their civilizations. Cared for properly it was quite harmless to them, as long as they protected themselves against whatever it is about it that caused them sickness. To us, it's mostly useless."

"What is Two-Three-Five?"

Cedric sighed.

"Two-three-Five was used to build weapons beyond the imagination of the most powerful sorcerer, weapons capable of leveling entire cities in an instant, and poisoning any who had the misfortune of surviving. The ancients used these weapons to destroy their entire civilization in a war their first descendants called 'the Apocalypse.'"

Sofia's mind turned to the terrifying images the library showed her, images of bodies of men, women, and children, burning alive.

"What is the Circle of Two-Three-Five."

Cedric looked almost as distraught as did Sofia.

"A Secret Society that my father didn't allow me into until well after he knew that I could be trusted with not taking over Enchancia. My mother still knows nothing about it. The Circle of Two-Three-Five is an organization of the most trustworthy Sorcerers, Merlin founded it. The ancients' earliest descendants claimed that there was a last weapon somewhere, in it are the building blocks for these terrible weapons. The circle is dedicated to preventing anyone from obtaining U Two-Three-Five or learning its secrets."

Sofia realized that the library showed her exactly where the last weapon was, underneath her very library. She elected not to tell Cedric, just yet, that she knew where it was, not that she didn't trust him, just that she didn't want to complicate matters before she had to. She understood now that, while she did not trust Mulenik, she had to hear him out.

"Thank you, Cedric."

"Sofia," said Cedric and then paused, "I don't know your business as Story Keeper or Protector, but if your mission has anything to do with the last weapon, I can only imagine that we are all in grave danger."

Sofia nodded, and left the tower.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Ambassador Mulenik's quarters in the castle was filled with books and model ships displayed prominently. Mulenik sat at his desk, still painting the same parts he had been working on the night before. There was a knock at the door.

"Come in."

In came the young Colonel flanked by Princess Sofia, a look of disgust on her face.

The Ambassador continued painting, "Thank you, Comrade Colonel Polyinin, you're dismissed."

The colonel saluted and left, shutting the door behind him. The ambassador set his brush in a bowl of water, stood up and approached Sofia carefully.

"Thank you for coming," he began in near-amazement, he acted as if he was repressing the desire to overwhelm Sofia with questions, "Sofia the First, Grand Duchess of Dunwiddie, Storykeeper of the Secret Library, don't worry I won't ask where it is, and High Protector of the Ever Realm," his voice was genuinely impressed. "I'm sorry but it's just such an honor to meet you, my wife has told me everything, and I'm kind of a fan."

Part of Sofia's mind registered curiosity when he said "my wife," but she dismissed it.

"I wish I could say the same about you."

There was a slight pause.

"I can imagine how you might say that," said Mulenik only slightly disheartened, "The last time we encountered one another it was not under the best of circumstances."

Sofia was calm but her anger definitely came through in her words.

"You murdered my mother, and my fiance's family."

At this, Mulenik's heart sank. He looked down at the floor before regaining his composure.

"It's more complicated than that."

Sofia smirked, she had all the power in this conversation.

"Mass murderers almost never accept responsibility for their actions, your no different, three hundred and fifty nine people died that night because _you_ led the rebels into the castle."

"You're right," said Mulenik to Sofia's surprise. "But in my experience, Royals almost never accept responsibility for the way their policies impact their people. Do you know how many people died in the Russivian Famine? Quite a bit more than died in the castle that night, did that stop my uncle from continuing to collect his crippling taxes? From throwing parties while his people starved?"

"You can justify it all you want…"

"You misunderstand me, princess, I'm not justifying anything, no one can ever justify death or war, and the Castle that night is the least of the horrible things I'm guilty of in the name of the Republic, and I have to live with that, and it does hurt."

"Good."

"Have you ever been to war, Princess?"

"Yes."

"No, you've fought villains of pure evil on an individual level; things are much simpler in that case. Killing Vor makes no difference to you, you can just go back to the graduation party, nobody bats an eye because She's irredeemably evil; I'm talking about real war where hundreds, no thousands of people take the field, half of them shooting at you. You've never experienced that; no one in Enchancia has in two centuries. You don't know the confusion, the mess of it all, and the reality that your enemies are not always horrible, evil people."

"You killed my mother, I will not allow you to lecture me!"

"I didn't bring you here to lecture you."

"Why did you bring me here!? What do you want!?"

"I didn't kill your mother."

"Stop it!"

"I didn't kill the Royal Family!"

"Stop it!"

"I wasn't there when your mother died and I have no idea how Hugo's parents and brothers died, it was war."

"That doesn't justify anything!"

"Fair enough!"

There was a pause.

"Look, I have a message for you. You don't like me? I don't blame you! You don't trust me? Fair enough! But you HAVE to hear what I have to say or three hundred and fifty nine deaths will be just the beginning."

"Deliver your message."

"It's from my wife."

Sofia gave him a look that communicated "so what?"

"You don't remember?" He asked, surprised. "I guess there really was a lot of confusion that night. Stll, I can't believe you didn't recognize her when she came into that hall."

"Who?"

"Her given name from when she was born in Russivia is Ariana Karamova; when her mother and she moved to Enchancia they changed their names to something more common around here. You know her as Lucinda."

Sofia really was stunned. She had not heard from Lucina in five years, ever since she and her mother left Enchancia. Now that she thought about it she did remember that Lucinda went back to Russivia. She felt ashamed that she didn't recognize her that night.

"Lucinda and I married three months before I left to come here. She became an assistant to the Russivian Royal Sorcerer, Seraphim Sarov. The two of them traveled the countryside. She became keenly aware of the suffering of our people. She joined the rebellion long before I did. That's where we met, and fell in love. She always spoke so highly of you. She believed you would come around to support the revolution, once convinced."

There was a pause. Mulenik looked genuinely uncomfortable, but continued, "She made a mistake, she trusted the wrong people."

"I'll say."

"She sought help from the Order of the Wand."

At this Sofia was enraged.

"The same people who tried to overthrow my father."

"They did more than that, they almost overthrew half the kingdoms of the Ever Realm before they were finally stopped. Morgana and Baron Von Rocher were hanged in Corinthia and the rest of them scattered. But over time they found ways of reconnecting, and they made common cause with us and with other republican movements across the Ever Realm."

Sofia shook her head in disbelief.

"But it was all a sham," Mulenik continued, "one which, I'm sorry to say, many of our comrades in other countries have yet to see. They used our movement to overthrow what Monarchies they could, but once they tried to take over the Republic of Russivia, they were revealed for who they were."

"Where are they now?"

"We don't know; it's just Grimtrix and Greylock now, the others were killed. We know they are looking for the Wicked Tenth."

"The Wicked Tenth?"

"The Wicked Nine were recovered when Vor was killed, but there is a tenth, recovered by the Royal Sorcerer of the Southern Isles. This sorcerer, an ally of Hans, the youngest son of the King there, imbued this object with the same evil magic that claimed the wicked nine."

"What is this object?"

"We don't know, what we do know is that Grimtrix and Grelock want it in connection with their plans to recover the last weapon."

"Hence your invocation of two-three-Five."

"Yes."

"How do you know all of this."

"Because Lucinda and I all but led them to it."

"You did what?"

"We thought that, with the power of the Last Weapon we could establish Republicanism in the Ever Realm, create freedom merely through fear of its destructive potential."

At this Sofia was truly enraged; more at Lucinda than Mulenik, she truly believed that her friend was better than this.

Mulenik Continued, "We never had any intention of using the weapon, just the fear it generated."

"And you all-but-led the Order of the Wand right to the last Weapon capable of destroying entire cities."

At this, Mulenik was truly ashamed.

"We didn't get very far. Now we and the Order of the Wand are racing to be the first to find the wicked Tenth. We don't know where the wicked Tenth is, neither does the Order of the Wand, but we do know who might."

"Who?"

"Prisma was quite stupid in trusting Vor, but she was intelligent enough to keep some things from her. Afterall, Prisma wasn't interested in helping Vor, but in empowering herself. Her Narcissism ironically may have saved us all. In her search for the Wicked Nine that Vor knew about, she learned of the Wicked Tenth. Wanting to have some insurance against Vor, she hid the locket that imprisoned Vor and set out to find it on her own."

"What makes you think she knows where it is?"

"Because she found it, and is the reason it's lost presently. She stole it from the Royal Sorcerer of the Southern Isles, and hid it somewhere, we don't know where. At least that's what he told us when our Arendell Comrades captured him, unfortunately he wouldn't say what the object was. And we don't have access to the Mystic Isles to verify any of this."

"But I do."

"Precisely."

Sofia turned to leave.

"Will you help us?" asked Mulenik, an air of desperation in his voice.

Without turning back to face him, Sofia asked, "what do you plan to do when you find the Wicked Tenth?"

"Destroy it, we have no more interest in finding an ultimate weapon."

There was a pause.

"I wish I could believe that."

"You will, when the time comes."

Sofia left the room. Mulenik sighed, returned to his desk, and resumed painting.


	5. Chapter 4: They Mystic Isles

Sofia walked the Castle grounds. It was pleasantly quiet at night. Everyone had gone to bed. She walked through the castle Gardens and noticed a lantern approaching from the distance. As it approached, Sofia recognized Ruby Hanshaw approaching in a traveler's cloak.

When she she got near she greeted Sofia.

"Hi Ruby," what are you doing here.

"Visiting James."

Sofia was quite nervous about a curiosity she had. She wasn't sure she wanted to even ask. She decided to be bold.

"Ruby, have you and James ever… made love?"

Ruby smiled, "you mean you and hugo haven't."

"I don't know, it didn't feel appropriate, we aren't married."

"Neither are James and I, I know of no reason why you have to be, beyond some old religious legalisms."

"What's it like?"

Ruby Smiled and hesitated.

"It hurts the first time, but not in a bad way; then it starts to feel good, really good. Why do you ask?"

"I'm so busy with everything that I have to do that I rarely have time to send with Hugo, and now it's all become so dangerous that I don't know how much time I have left. Will we even get married at all, let alone have a family."

"Do you want those things?"

"Yes."

"Then make time for them, Sofia, you have every right to your own time."

Sofia nodded.

"Thank you."

The two embraced.

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Hugo's room was guarded by two men in Russivian Royal Uniforms. They were even more careful now that the Republicans were in the castle. Sofia didn't bother going through the main entrance though. She new her way through secret passageways that only mice could fit through, and with the help of her amulet that wasn't a problem.

She found a small opening into his room just large enough for her tiny self to fit through. Once through she spoke to her amulet.

"I wish to be big again."

She immediately rose to her normal height. She saw her fiance curled up with a pillow atop his large bed. She approached him cautiously, sat down on the side of his bed and placed her hand on his cheek, gently caressing it.

Eventually he woke up.

"Sofia?" He asked somewhat groggily.

She bent down to kiss his lips. He returned her kiss with equal enthusiasm. Sofia removed her shoes and all but her undergarments and then laid down next to him. The couple face each other, holding each other in each other's arms. There was a long pause in which they each stared into each other's eyes.

"Are you sure?" asked Hugo.

"Yes," whispered Sofia.

Sofia took Hugo's hand in hers, raised it to her lips and placed it on her breast. They slid into a deep embrace.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The first light shined through the window of Hugo's bedroom. Hugo and Sofia slept soundly in each other's arms, their clothing fully removed. Sofia stirred first. Ruby had been right, it did hurt at first, but it also felt good, very good. She watched him sleep for a few minutes before whispering his name.

Hugo stirred.

"Hugo I want to get married, soon."

"Me too." There was a Pause, "I really enjoyed making love to you, but can I ask, why now?"

A tear came to Sofia's eyes.

"I have a mission from the Library, a mission as protector, my biggest one yet, and I don't know how much time I have left."

Hugo moved atop Sofia, looking her directly in the eye.

"You have as much time as you want, Sofia. You don't have to do this."

"Yes I do."

"Why? Why you? Why do you always have to be the one risking your life? Leave it to someone else!"

"Because it's what I've been chosen to do."

"And that's more important than us?"

"Yes," Said Sofia without hesitation. "The lives of everyone in the Ever Realm is more important than the two of us."

Sofia moved out from under Hugo and lifted herself out of the bed. When she turned around, it was the first time Hugo had ever seen her unclothed in the light.

"I have to go," she said as she set to putting her clothes back on.

"Where?"

"The Mystic Isles, that's where I have to start," Said Sofia, "when I come back, we'll get married."

Hugo nodded, "don't take too long."

Sofia, now half-dressed, walked to the bed, leaned over him and kissed him gently.

"Be back before you know it."

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No one was quite sure how the Mystic Isles came to be. Somehow they floated in midair thousands of feet above the Ever Realm. It used to be that all one needed to get there was a flying horse, after Vor, the Protectors limited entrance to the Mystic Isles to those with official business, which Sofia Had.

Normally Skye was her flying Unicorn on missions to the isles, this time it was Minimus. Minimus landed at the front gate of the Castle on the Isle of protectors. Sofia didn't miss a beat walking straight up to the gate where her old Trainer, Chrysta, met her, the two embraced.

"Sofia, it's so good to see you again."

"You too, Chrysta."

"It's been so long, what brings you here?"

"I need to talk to Prisma."

In the bowels of the Protectors Castle was a row of cells where those the the protectors incarcerated those magical beings deemed to dangerous to live in the Mystic Isles. Among them was Prisma who had been responsible for the near destruction of the Kingdom of Avalor, via the release of Vor. By the end she had been repentant though.

When Sofia found her she was sitting alone at a desk in her cell, drawing. Her cell was full of pictures she had drawn. They were quite good.

"Hello Prisma."

"Princess Sofia, It's good to see you."

"Your artwork is quite impressive."

"Thank you."

There was a pause. Prisma never lifted her head from her drawing.

"Tell me about the wicked tenth."

Prisma stopped and sighed.

"I was hoping it was lost forever, I suppose it still might be."

"The Order of the Wand, and the Republican Rebels are looking for it," said Sofia. "And one thing keeps coming to my mind. Is there any chance they could find it?"

Prisma shrugged.

"I met once with Morgana, I told her that it was buried somewhere in Enchancia, near the castle."

"Is that true?"

"It is."

"Where?"

There was a pause.

"Prisma, I have to know." 

"About three thousand yards from the southwest corner, under a large Oak; the same place I buried Vor's locket when I went looking for the tenth."

"Right on the castle grounds."

"Oh indeed, sometimes the best hiding places are in plain sight."

"Prisma, what is the Wicked Tenth?"

Prisma went back to drawing.

"Do you know the story of Queen Elsa of Arendelle?"

"Yes I do."

"She would use gloves to conceal her powers, but finally when she could no longer hide, she cast them aside at the base of her ice palace, one of them got caught in the wind and was recovered by… well, I'm not entirely sure how it came to be in the possession of The Royal Sorcerer of the southern isles, that's just where I found it."

"What does it have to do with two-three-five."

"The ancients used codes to launch their weapons, without those codes, the last weapon is nothing other than a glorified paperweight. The glove was imbued with the ability to crack codes."

"Thank you, Prisma."

Sofia turned to walk out of the cell-block.

"Princess Sofia?"

Sofia turned back. Prisma had looked up from her drawing, she was staring intently at Sofia.

"Do you think I can ever leave this place?"

Sofia sighed.

"I don't know."

"I certainly hope so, I'm lonely here."

"Goodbye, Prisma."

"Goodbye, Princess."


	6. Chapter 5: The Wicked Tenth

Sofia found the glove right where Prisma said it would be. It was a light blue glove with a nordic design woven into it. Even covered with five years worth of soil, it was still quite beautiful.

"It's definitely imbued with dark magic," said Cedric.

Sofia and Cedric were now in his tower; Cedric waved his wand carefully over the glove which seemed to glow. The soil had somehow magically disappeared and it looked brand new. The two began to hear a thud sound that they dismissed from their minds.

"I wonder how it works?" said Sofia.

"Me too," said Cedric, "because in order for it to manipulate something it would have to be in contact with that thing during the spell."

Another thud.

"You're saying that in order to do something with U Two-Three-Five…"

"It would have to have had contact with U Two-Three-Five."

"But I thought the Last Weapon was below the library."

"Apparently the Royal Sorcerer of the Southern Isles had some."

Another thud

"What is that?" Asked Sofia.

"Now that you mention it, I have no idea."

Another Thud. Sofia and Cedric turned their heads to the location of the thudding. It was the same drawer from which Cedric had obtained the U Two-Three-Five. Cedric, a puzzled look on his face, walked to the drawer and opened it. To his surprise, the U Two-Three-Five Disc flew out of the drawer and right into the hand of the glove.

"That's interesting," said Sofia, "you don't suppose it only works with Two-Three-Eight?"

"Or Two-Three-Five and Two-Three-Eight are similar enough that if it works with the one, it works with the other? I have no idea."

Sofia sighed.

"We have to keep this with someone we trust," she said "I trust you to keep it but I want you to stay in Enchancia and get ready to defend the Castle; I'm giving this to someone who will take it out of the country; with the Republicans in the castle, there are a lot of people around here that I don't trust, and from what Prisma told me, it's quite likely that the Order of the Wand already knows the Wicked Tenth is in Enchancia."

"So it's only a matter of time before they invade," said Cedric.

"Exactly, we must assume that they know that you're a member of the Circle, so they'll suspect that I gave the glove to you or have it myself."

"Don't tell me who you're going to give it to, Sofia, I can't reveal under torture what I don't know."

Sofia nodded, concealed the glove in one of her pockets and left the tower. She headed immediately to her bedroom.

"I wish to be small," she said to her amulet.

She entered the small hole leading to the secret passage to the Library.

"I wish to be big again, and I wish for Aunt Tilly to meet me at the Library."

Tilly was waiting when Sofia arrived.

"Aunt Tilly, I need a favor."

"Of course."

Sofia produced the glove.

"I need you to keep this safe."

"What is it?"

"The wicked Tenth."

A look of surprise came over her face.

"The enemy, whoever they are, Order of the Wand, Republican Rebels, both, are looking for it, and they may know that it's in Enchancia, which means they could already be on their way."

"Oooh," said an excited Tilly, "Sounds like it's time for a Wild Goose Chase. I'll get it out of the kingdom and keep it safe."

"Thank you."

There was a sudden shaking throughout the library. Several books fell from their shelves. Aunt Tilly and Sofia fell to the floor. The shaking stopped as soon as it had started. Earthquakes were not uncommon in Enchancia but neither Sofia nor Tilly believed this to be coincidental. After rising to her feet, a look of understanding came over Sofia.

"The Glove! There's U Two-Three-Five right below us. This glove has a spell which can manipulate it somehow."

"Indeed, Princess," came a voice from the magic screen.

Tilly and Sofia turned to see the first Storykeeper emerging from the screen. "you have to get that glove as far away from this library as possible."

"Hello again, First Storykeeper," said Tilly glibly.

"That glove is enchanted to manipulate the Uranium 235 in the fission core of the weapon, pushing it to critical mass without activating the high explosive lenses, if you don't get that glove out of here right now you could arm the weapon."

Sofia did not understand half of what he said, only that it was urgent that she remove the glove from the library quickly. She handed it to Tilly.

"Aunt Tilly, Go!"

Tilly left the library without hesitation.

"It's alright," said the First Storykeeper, "you just shifted the Uranium tamper a half-millimeter or so, I don't think you armed the weapon."

"How do you know all of this?" Sofia asked, looking the storykeeper in the eye intently.

A look of shame came over the First Storykeeper.

"How!?" Sofia pressed.

"Because I used to build them," said the First Storykeeper.

Tears were in his eyes, he was shaking with a mix of anger, fear, and regret. Sofia looked at him with a disappointed rage.

"You built these things?"

"Yes, hundreds of centuries ago."

"Why?"

The First Storykeeper sighed. He sat on the bench facing the screen, he was breathing hard, like a criminal just caught, resigned to his fate.

"I was a physicist. I helped to design and test new ones. When I was a child, while all the other kids were playing, I was reading; I loved to read, anything I could get my hands on. More than that I wanted to understand, everything. I loved Physics, Philosophy, Theology, Math, everything, and I was good at it.

"They told me that I was helping to preserve peace; that by building more of these things, we could deter our enemies and ensure that they'd never be used, we built thousands of them. It was a lie. They were used… all of them, except one. Three Billion people died in the first day; burned to death in the Nuclear Fire. Billions more people died slowly in the years to come.

"The weapons spread a terrible poison called Radiation that ate the very cells in our bodies, and those of us who survived that, starved to death or succumbed to disease. The earth was covered with a shroud of dust, fueled by thousands of burning cities, nothing would grow. The Earth was as dead as moon, and it was only a matter of time before we all died.

"But then something miraculous happened. Just as the last of us were dying, things started to grow again. I couldn't explain it, I still can't. Somehow, life found away, almost as if the universe willed it so. A remnant of us, maybe ten thousand at most survived, and over the centuries, rebuilt.

"I think somehow the radiation is what caused what we call magic, what imbued reality with a kind of will. New creatures formed, creatures that were intelligent, just like humans. The Mystic Isles were born and radiated magic. I didn't live to see it."

Sofia was still enraged than anyone could actually build such killing machines. She looked at him with distaste. This however confused her.

"During the war I hid, cowered in fear of the machines that I built. I hid right below your feet. My laboratory. I had food to feed ten people for a year and I was alone. I also had a radiation suit that protected me from the poison. I ventured out, I didn't see a soul, but I found books scattered about the landscape, some buried in rubble, some in structures that managed to survive. I collected them and brought them here.

"Below this library in my lab is another library filled with thousands of books; I thought I could preserve human culture in them. Then one day my food ran out. I ate my last meal, found my pistol, put it in my mouth, and pulled the trigger. My bones are still down there."

"Then how are you here?" asked Sofia, her curiosity getting the better of her rage.

"Do you believe in God, Sofia?"

"I don't know," Sofia replied.

"I don't know either, but everything that I've witnessed since the war has taught me that somehow the universe has a will, and that is, I think what magic is. Call it God, call it magic, call it… whatever you want. It's almost as if the universe wanted this library built. See, I'm dead, and what you see isn't a soul or a spirit as such, but more of a memory. A memory that this tree grew around.

"Over time I gathered unfinished stories, they materialized somehow as books. I thought that by inspiring other Storykeepers to help others to find happy endings to their stories that I could…" he lost control and started sobbing.

Sofia's rage was tempered by pity.

"You thought you could redeem yourself."

The First Storykeeper shrugged.

"I know now that's a fantasy. I killed so many people, engineered their deaths anyways, and the same blessing that keeps this memory of me alive is the hell of knowing that I will never ever be at peace with myself. Especially now that the cycle is repeating itself again; the genie is out of the bottle, the fruit is eaten, the box is open, and once again humanity will rediscover the ability to destroy itself. I ran as far as I could from my sins, but in the end, they caught up with me."

Sofia was torn between thinking this just and wishing that he could find what he was looking for.

"Uranium is U isn't it?" she asked.

The First Storykeeper nodded.

"There were weapons made of an even deadlier substance called Plutonium, but the last weapon has a Uranium core."

"Why didn't you reveal the other library to me or the other storykeepers? Thousands of books below us? So much to learn about the ancients."

The First Storykeeper sighed deeply. "At first I was going to, I was going to keep my people alive in the texts of those books, but then I realized: we destroyed ourselves. Our knowledge, our science, even our literature and philosophy helped fuel the ideologies that led us to create the machines that destroyed us. I'm not sure that we deserve to be remembered. Do you really want that knowledge for your people?"

Sofia sighed, "I guess I want you to have a happy ending."

"How on Earth do you figure I deserve one?"

"Is it a matter of deserving?"

After a brief pause the First Storyteller stood up and walked toward the screen, when he reached its threshold he turned around and faced Sofia.

"Please, Princess," he said. "Please save your people from what me and my people did. Please stop this from happening again. You're the only one who can."

"I will try."

The First Storykeeper stared at her for a moment, then turned around and entered the screen which suddenly displayed a room with fancy tables, and walls adorned with flags. Men and women in Military Uniforms sat eating, some of the women wore dresses, some of the men black suits. At the head of the room was a large, long table at which sat the most distinguished persons in the room. In the center of that table was a podium. A woman in a fancy dress came to the podium.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, I'd like to introduce our keynote speaker, he is research fellow at MIT and one of the most brilliant particle physicists of our time. Although the Nobel committee surely won't recognize this, his work on designs for nuclear missiles capable of evading the most sophisticated anti-ballistic missile technology has contributed to the stabilization of geopolitics, has brought the Chinese and the Russians back to the Arms Reduction table, and may very well lead to the end of the second cold war, Ladies and Gentlemen, Dr. Eliezer Byerly.

The room filled with polite applause as a young man in his twenties in a fancy suit approached the podium. He shook the woman's hand. His face bore an expression of humility, even fear. Sofia recognized him immediately as a much younger version of the First Storykeeper. He took the podium.

"Thank you Madam President. I can't say that I disagree with the nobel committee." several people in the room gave a polite laugh, "You know, I tell myself that my work is about deterrence, and that the key to ensuring that Nuclear Weapons are never used in anger is making sure that the enemy knows that if they should decide to attack, it would mean their own suicide. Of course that works well enough when we deal with rational actors like the Russians or the Chinese, or even the North Koreans, but I have to say that what worries me is that not all of us are rational; oh I'm not talking about Terrorists or rogue states, I'm talking about us, right here. We like to think of ourselves as rational, enlightened, liberal, humanitarian, but I have to admit that I'm skeptical.

"The Bible says that Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up. And I have to wonder if everything that we have built up over the last several centuries; is it built up or is it puffed up? And I think of a recurring theme in the literature of several civilizations, the theme of Adam and Eve eating the fruit, or Pandora and the Box; the theme that just because we have the technical ability to do something, does not mean that we have the moral maturity to do it.

"The splitting of the atom, quantum physics, metacognitive computers, all of this and more has brought us to horizons that our ancestors could never have dreamed, but are we really ready for it. And if we're not, what is to become of our children's futures? Forgive me, I realize that I'm not exactly saying what you all paid a great deal of money to hear this evening, chalk it up to a little too much champagne perhaps; nevertheless, I'm scared. I'm scared, and I hope everyone in this room is too.

"Because human life is precious; it's precious because it contains the wonder of a child, the taste of a good steak, the ability to use nature to create new forms of nature, and yes, even sex, rock-n-roll, and weed; the ability that we have to think about thinking, to reflect on our feelings; if there's a God that's God's greatest gift to creation. Carl Sagan said that we are a way the universe can know itself. And you, Madam President, and you, all of you political leaders, military masterminds, all of you; hear this humble scientist, I beg you, don't let it all end because of some stupid little squabble over who owns some god-forsaken island in the China Sea."

The First Storykeeper left the podium to muffled, polite applause. The screen went blank.

Sofia felt sad, and her sadness made her tired. She knew what she had to do but not yet. She had a promise to keep.


	7. Chapter 6: Plans for Departure

Andreas Mulenik sat in an easy chair on the beach reading a book. It was a cheap novel distracting him from his business. He enjoyed every second of it. He was supposed to have a security detail with him but he enjoyed being alone. He kept his eyes fixated on the book as he sighed.

"Hello cousin," Mulenik said, "it's good to see you again."

Hugo had approached him from behind carefully and silently, and now had a pistol trained at the back of Mulenik's head. Mulenik was perfectly aware of this, but kept reading.

"I'm going to kill you."

Mulenik kept staring at his book. He nodded.

"Well, if it is my time."

"How could you do it?" said Hugo, hesitating.

"Awww, I see, not quite sure of your resolve are you? Come now, don't make small talk, if you're going to do it, just do it. I can't give you an answer that'll satisfy you anyways."

Mulenik heard a click as Hugo uncocked his pistol and lowered it. Mulenik smiled, "Killing me won't make things better, I wish there was some way to, I really do, but we can only make the best decisions we can and then do the best we can to live with ourselves."

"HUGO!" Came a shout from the other side of the beach.

"And that would be your Fiance."

Sofia came running up to Hugo.

"What are you doing!?"

Mulenik simply kept reading, "Hello Princess, not to worry, just family squabbles."

"You son-of-a-bitch," said Hugo, "You just sit there and make jokes after everything you've done."

"You don't have a clue what I've done or not done."

"He's not worth it, Hugo," Sofia Whispered.

"That's probably true," said Mulenik.

"Will you shut up!" shouted Sofia.

Mulenik shrugged.

"Come on Hugo," said Sofia, taking Hugo by the shoulders, tears streaming down his face. Hugo resigned himself and the two started back toward the castle.

"Congratulations on your engagement by the way, I pray you'll both be very happy," said Mulenik, still staring down at his book, though his voice did seem quite sincere.

"We have to talk to my Father," Sofia said. "The Kingdom may be in danger. And you're coming too," she directed the last part at Ambassador Mulenik, who closed his book and stood up.

"At your service," he said.

"I doubt that very much," said Sofia. "Let's go."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

At Princess Sofia's request, the throne room saw a gathering of King Roland, dressed in his usual black, sitting on the throne, along with the Knights, led by Sir Bartleby and Sir Finnegan, with James and Hugo at their side. Cedric stood beside them. Admiral Vasques of the Royal Enchancian Navy and his staff stood across the room from the knights along with Constable Myles, and Ruby Henshaw in an Enchancian Army Captain's Uniform, and Jade in an Enchancian Navy Lieutenant's Uniform. Mulenik, Colonel Polyinin, and the Russivian Embassy Staff stood directly across the thrones.

Sofia stood in front of her throne to King Roland's Right and addressed the Assembly.

"I have been made aware of a great threat to this kingdom. I believe invasion is imminent, if our enemies are not already on their way."

At these words, the collective anxiety of the room increased.

"Ambassador," Sofia Invited.

Mulenik walked to the center of the room.

"Long ago, the ancients developed massive weapons capable of destroying entire cities. These weapons destroyed their society, and the knowledge of them has largely faded into legend, but their power has always been sought by… well, by anyone in the know, seeking power for their own ends. The safeguard is that the ancients used some kind of code which was only known by select few, without which, these weapons could not be used. Archibald, the Royal Sorcerer of the Southern Isles, somehow developed a Wicked Tenth Object capable of bypassing that safeguard. Both this object and the last of these weapons are here in Enchancia, and we have every reason to believe that The Order of the Wand is well aware of that."

"Why should we believe you!?" called out Sir Finnegan. "We listen to him and we're liable to find out that it's his Rebels who are trying to overthrow us."

"Believe me, Sir Finnegan," said Mulenik calmly, "if the Republic wanted to overthrow the Kingdom of Enchancia, we would not be recommending that you start fortifying yourselves."

"Cedric and I have verified much of what the Ambassador is saying," said Sofia.

"Where is this object?" asked King Roland.

"It's safe."

"I need to know," the King Pressed.

Sofia gave a significant look at Cedric before approaching his father's ear and whispering. Roland gave a nod. He turned to Ruby Henshaw.

"Captain Henshaw, call up the Militia, we'll need everyone in the Kingdom capable of bearing arms."

"Yes Sire," Said Ruby.

"Admiral Vasquez, how many ships do we have ready.?"

"Not enough to repel an amphibious invasion, Sire, we haven't had to mobilize like this in two centuries."

"That brings up another question," Constable Myles broke in, "Mobilize against whom? The Order of the Wand is down to two wizards, do they have an army?"

"They will," said Mulenik, "You can count on it; and a Navy."

"What army?" asked Sofia.

There was a Pause. For the first time, Sofia noticed that Mulenik seemed slightly nervous.

"They've gained control of part of our movement. The Republicans in Corinthia, Freezenberg, and Wei Ling support them."

Admiral Vasquez sighed, "The Corinthian Rebels seized control of that kingdom's entire Navy, that's more than fifty ships."

"Including four ships of the line," piked in Mulenik. "Make short work of your coastal cities."

Vasquez gave Mulenik a disgusted look.

"And maybe a hundred thousand rebel troops between those three countries," said Constable Myles. "We're outnumbered."

"Gee, if only one of your trading partners had an Army of their own already mobilized," Mulenik remarked sarcastically.

"Absolutely not!" said Roland.

"So that's your plan is it," Said sir Finnegan. "Bring your army in 'to help us,' and then take over."

"We believe in Popular Sovereignty, Sir," Colonel Polyinin addressed Finnegan. "We overthrew our monarchy because our people wanted it, if the Enchancian people want a monarchy, then our army pledges itself to defend the will of your people, to the death."

"Here here!" Shouted many in the Russivian Delegation.

"What do you think, Sofia," Asked Roland. "Do you trust them?"

"No I do not," said Sofia without missing a beat.

"Well then, that's seventy-five or so thousand troops you'll be doing without," said Mulenik, "Got a backup plan?"

Sofia looked at her Father.

"Avalor, Queen Elena has the largest standing Navy in the World, sixty-five ships, and no Rebels to contend with."

"And they're five days away if the winds are favorable," said Mulenik. "And of course there's the five days of getting your message to them, maybe three or four days of them deliberating on whether they decide to help you and IF they decided to help you, you may already be occupied by the time they get here. Our army can be here in three days"

"I'd rather bank on the Avaloran Navy then handing ourselves over to a Russivian Occupation Army," Said Admiral Vasquez.

"I agree, Avalor's our best option," said Sofia.

There was a pause. Roland turned to Vasquez.

"Vasquez get your fastest ship to Avalor, I want it underway now."

"Yes Sire," Said Vasquez, leaving the room.

"The rest of you get to work on fortifying this Kingdom," said Roland, "I want every single citizen at arms or capable of bearing them ready."

King Roland spoke with a resolve that no one in the room had seen him speak with for two years. Sofia and James smiled. He was back.

"What are you waiting for, let's get to it."

Everyone in the room scattered, James, Hugo, Sofia, and Mulenik approached Roland.

"For what it's worth, your majesty," said Mulenik "My guards are at your service, and if you'd trust them with weapons, any member of my staff can fight."

"You just tell them that I'll have them shot at the first sign of treachery."

"Fair enough, your majesty."

"Dad, I have to go," Sofia said.

"I need you here," said Roland

"Lucinda is out there looking for the Wicked Tenth, I have to find her, let her know that we have it, and find out what she knows."

"I know where she is," said Mulenik. "We have an archeological site that we've recovered, there's more to this than just the glove."

"Where is she?" asked Sofia.

"The Republic of Arendelle."

"The Republic of Arendelle?" Said James in dismay. "You mean she's with the Rebels."

"Call it what you will, you won't be able to get there by just asking Queen Elsa," said Mulenik. "You'd have to cross their lines, and while I have no doubt you can do it, we don't exactly have that kind of time."

"What are you proposing," asked Roland.

"Give me a ship, I can get her behind Republican lines."

"We don't exactly have an abundance of ships to give you, we're going to need what we have to defend ourselves against your other rebel friends," said James.

"We'll take the Royal Schooner," said Sofia resigned.

James, Roland, and Hugo looked at her with surprise.

"It's a pleasure cruiser, it would be worse than useless in a battle anyways."

"I can't send any guards or sailors with you Sofia, and I don't trust you with him," Said Roland.

"I know how to sail, and I can look after myself."

"I know that," said Roland. "I already lost your mother, and your sister, I don't want to lose you."

"I'll go," said Hugo.

Roland looked at Hugo, there was a significant pause between them. Roland nodded.

"I can go too," said James.

"No, you're the future King, your place is here," said Roland. "Get to your knights you've got work to do."

James nodded and turned to leave.

"James," said Roland.

James turned back. Roland paused for a second, hesitating, as if he couldn't get the words out.

"I'm proud of you, and I'm sorry about…"

"I know, Dad, it's alright," James turned and left.

Roland turned to Sofia. "I'm proud of you too, and I'm sorry."

Sofia smiled, "there's one more thing that I need, Dad."

"Anything."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Ten minutes later, the only people in the throne room were Roland, Sofia, Hugo, James, Baileywick, a tall Russivian Man in a clerical outfit, Ruby, and Jade. Roland stood at the foot of the throne. Sofia stood facing Hugo in front of Roland. The rest formed a semi-circle around Hugo and Sofia.

"Sofia, do you take Hugo to be your wedded Husband, to love and care for him in sickness and in health, for better or for worse, until death separates you?" Said Roland

"I do."

"Hugo, do you take Sofia to be your wedded wife, to love and care for her in sickness and in health, for better or for worse, until death separates you?"

"I do."

"Then as King and Sovereign of the Nation of Enchancia, I declare that you are Husband and Wife, and may you live happily ever after"

Sofia and Hugo kissed. Those in the throne room applauded.

"I'm sorry it wasn't a big, white wedding Sofia," said hugo, their faces pressed together.

"It was perfect, Hugo," Sofia replied.

The man in a Russivian Clerical outfit produced a Tiara and came to face Sofia, Sofia turned to face him.

"And now in the name of the Royal Family of the Kingdom of Russivia," the man placed the Tiara on Sofia's head, "I crown you, Sofia the First, High Queen of the people of Rusivia, and may you always rule with wisdom, grace, justice, and mercy."

"Congratulations, your majesty," Said James as he hugged his sister.

"We're so excited for you, Sof," said Jade, Ruby flanking her with a smile.

"Thank you, thank you all," Sofia began. "I'm not religious, but I do believe that love is stronger than power; and I have faith that in this and every emergency to come, all of us will be led to exactly where we need to be. Let's get going, Hugo."


	8. Chapter 7: To Arendelle

Ambassador Mulenik spent the last two hours rushing to get his model ship built, and it was finally assembled. He had to struggle against his shaking hands but he finished it in time to depart with the Princess, and he was excited about this as well. Russivia was landlocked, and all his life he had dreamed of sailing. There was a knock at the door to his residence.

"Come in."

Colonel Polyinin entered.

"You wanted to see me, sir."

Mulenik kept admiring his model ship, it was not his best work, he thought, but not bad.

"The Republican guard is to be at the disposal of King Roland," said Mulenik.

"Of course, sir."

Mulenik looked at intently at Polyinin.

"You understand, Comrade, that when the enemy comes, they may come in the form of those who profess Republicanism."

"Yes sir." Polyinin was unhesitating. "You sure you don't want me to come with you, sir."

"No my friend," said Mulenik, "your place is here. The people of this country will be fighting for their freedom just like we did. It's a great honor to fight for your own freedom, an even greater one to fight for someone else's."

Mulenik walked to his window and stared at the sea. Polyinin joined his side.

"I can't believe that our comrades would fall for the order's lies," said Polyinin.

"Well, we did," said Mulenik, "sometimes it's so easy to get caught up in fighting for something that you forget to live into it."

There was another pause as the two stared out the window. Polyinin broke the silence.

"God be with you, sir," Polyinin saluted.

"And with you my friend," said Mulenik nodding his head.

Polynin dropped his salute and left the room. After another few minutes of staring out the window, there was another knock at the door.

"Come in,"

Sofia entered, her affect was flat. She couldn't resist looking at him with disgust but part of her was beginning to trust him. Mulenik kept staring out the window."

"Congratulations, God grant you both many years," said Mulenik.

Mulenik turned to his model.

"Avaloran Turner Class Ship of the Line, brand new," said Mulenik, "you have no idea how hard it was to make the parts for it, I had to study blueprints for a month."

"It's time," said Sofia.

Mulenik took a deep breath and smiled.

"I've been waiting for this my whole life."

"This isn't a pleasure cruise, you said you could get us to Lucinda, and I expect you to keep your word, and if you make any threatening move against my husband, I will kill you myself."

Mulenik looked passively surprised.

"First time you've ever threatened anyone's life?"

Sofia's hardened look softened somewhat. Mulenik grabbed a black cloak and walked toward the door.

"Don't make it a habit," he said, "doesn't suit you."

Mulenik exited the room, Sofia followed closely behind. When they arrived at the harbor they found men and women busy installing canons and building baracades; sofia had never seen Enchancia so militarized. They boarded the Royal Schooner where Hugo and Jade were ready for them.

"Jade!" said Sofia excitedly, "I'm glad the sent you!"

"They needed an experienced sailor to help with the Schooner so I volunteered." Jade replied, her eyes fixed skeptically on Mulenik, "So this is our guide,"

"Andreas Mulenik, at your service, Lieutenant," Mulenik bowed.

"That's Captain," said Jade.

"Ah yes, the naval tradition that any master of a vessel, regardless of rank is called captain; my apologies Ma'am, I've never sailed before but it's something I've always wanted to do."

Jade scowled at him, "Just stay out of our way."

"At your pleasure, Captain."

"Hugo," shouted Jade, "untie the starboard lines, Sofia, man the sales."

Mulenik excitedly watched the three worked. He observed their movements in controlling the vessel carefully. The schooner was underway and out to open sea within a half-hour. They caught a good wind north and were now moving quite fast. Mulenik stood at the bow of the ship, watching the water splash against the bowsprit. He prided himself on his professionalism but he could not wipe the excited smile off of his face.

"If this wind keeps up, we'll be in Arendelle in two days," said Jade, who was manning the helm.

"We'll have to bypass the main harbor," shouted Mulenik back to her, "Queen Elsa's Navy is turning around any unknown ships they catch, you'll want to give southern Arendelle a wide berth."

"You want to take the helm?" shouted Jade back to him in anger.

"Actually, yes," he replied.

"I was being sarcastic."

Mulenik gave a satisfied half-laughing smile.

Sofia observed Mulenik carefully and found her hatred for him wane. She even smiled at times at what she felt was his childish wonder observing parts of the ship.

As she stood atop the crows nest as the sun was setting to their west, she heard Hugo climbing up to her. He joined her on the small platform atop the tallest mass. The two shared a kiss.

"Some honeymoon, huh?" said Hugo.

Sofia chuckled.

"It works."

"You know we could say to hell with it, make for Marroway Cove, hide out there till this all blows over," said Hugo.

"You just want to see me in a bathing suit," said Sofia.

"Got to admit the thought has crossed my mind."

They watched the sunset together for a time.

"You know I wasn't entirely joking," said Hugo.

"I know."

Hugo sighed.

"You know, my brother, Axel was always better at everything than me; flying derby, fencing, academics, didn't matter, and I got so tired of the pressure of trying to live up to his my father's expectations of me, and I…"

He paused.

"Do you ever feel like you just want to walk away from all of this?" Asked Hugo.

"Yes."

"Why don't we? To hell with it all! To hell with the Republicans, to hell with Russivia, To hell with this stupid last weapon, to hell with everything, let it be someone else's responsibility!"

"Who?" asked Sofia.

"I don't know... someone."

They paused, again staring at the sunset.

"You know, ever since I moved in to the castle from Dunwiddie when I was eight years old, I've given a lot of thought to what it means to be Royal," Said Sofia. "Why even have a Royalty? Maybe the Republicans are on to something; and I came to realize that, whether or not you have a Royal family or a Republic doesn't matter; what matters is that those who have the ability to help others, have the responsibility to help others. That's what it means to me to be a princess. Or a queen, or whatever the Republicans have. I can't just walk away."

There was another pause. Hugo signed.

"I know, Me neither."

There was a Royal State room aboard, but Hugo and Sofia nevertheless had to be as quiet as possible as they consummated their marriage that night. It was less painful for Sofia than the first time, and was becoming more and more enjoyable.

Each of the four took turns on watch. The ship was rigged so that, for limited amounts of time, one person could take the helm while the others slept. Jade gave Mulenik a crash course on manning the helm but, to her surprise, he knew almost as much as she did, having read as much as he could about sailing growing up.

Hugo's watch was very early in the morning; it was still dark but the first glimmer of the sun was beginning to appear over the eastern horizon.

It was at this time that Mulenik appeared on deck, a steaming cup of coffee in his hand. Acknowledging Hugo's presence he walked to the starboard side of the ship, leaning on the side railing, staring out, enjoying his coffee.

"The winds have kept up well."

Hugo didn't respond.

After a short pause, Mulenik tried again, "Did the Enchancians teach you how to sail?"

"What are you doing?" asked Hugo.

Mulenik gave a feigned confused look, "uh, I believe I'm standing on the deck of a ship, having the time of my life, enjoying bad coffee, what you are doing?"

"You've been doing that since I was a kid, stop it!"

"Stop what? Oh my sarcasm, yeah I suppose it can be a little annoying."

"A little."

There was a pause. Sofia, who had been stirring, had heard the conversation from below deck, and had come to the hatch leading up to the deck. Neither Sofia nor Mulenik had any idea she was there.

"So what are you doing?" repeated Hugo, "you know I'll never trust you, never forgive you."

Mulenik sighed.

"You're the only family I have left," said Mulenik.

This brought a tear to Hugo's eyes, and Sofia's. Hugo was far enough away that Mulenik couldn't tell.

"Aside from my wife," Mulenik continued. "I know what's happened, I know what I've done, I won't apologize for it, I've already to defend it to Sofia; and I know you'll probably never trust me, never forgive me, but I just figured: we're the only grandchildren of King Ivan the sixth left. That has to mean something; I had to try."

Mulenik retreated below decks using a different hatch from the one Sofia was occupying. Sofia sat down against the wooden bulkhead of the ship. Her tears turned into sobs as she realized just how much she missed her mother and her sister, and how grateful she was to still have James and her Father.

The air was getting cold as they approached the Northern seas. By the end of the day they all had donned warm cloaks and wool sweaters. Early the next morning the spotted snow-capped peaks in the distance.

"That's Arendelle," said Jade, "The main harbor's straight ahead, I'm tacking to the North."

They managed to go about three hours without spotting any ships from Arendelle, when Mulenik finally broke the silence.

"This is a good spot, Captain, I recommend putting down anchor."

"Why?" asked Jade.

Mulenik pointed aft causing Jade, Sofia and Hugo to spin around to see a larger vessel coming in behind them, about three miles off."

Jade wasted no time.

"Hugo man the canon."

"It's okay, they're flying the Republican flag," said Mulenik.

"I can see that," said Jade, "Hugo stand by."

"We should raise the white flag," said Mulenik.

"Not on your life!" shouted Jade.

"Are you really going to try to take them on, Captain?" asked Mulenik.

"If I have to," said Jade.

"They're a twenty-gun frigate, you're aboard a pleasure boat with a small canon, I'd love to see you try," said Mulenik, "Oh wait, I'm on the same pleasure boat with a small canon, nevermind."

"Drop anchor, Jade," said Sofia calmly.

"Are you trusting him, now?"

"We don't have a choice."

Jade sighed.

"Hugo, drop the anchor."

Sofia hoisted a white flag. The four watched as the frigate got closer. Eventually it came close enough for the two crews to talk to each other. A large, blond-haired man emerged on the deck of the frigate.

"Well, Well, Well, if it isn't the legend," the man shouted, "Comrade Andreas Dmitrivich Mulenik, everyone's favorite revolutionary hero and, what are they calling you now? Ambassador? Still charming royals out of their money huh!?"

"How are ya, Christoff?" shouted Mulenik back. "Still married to that princess of yours."

A red-haired woman in her thirties emerged, "Only in his dreams!" she shouted.

"You'll have to come aboard quickly, and set your ship adrift," Said Christoff.

"Adrift!?" shouted Jade, how are we supposed to get back.

"Don't worry, Jade" said a voice very familiar to both Jade, Sofia, and Mulenik, as a young black-haired woman emerged on the deck of the frigate, "I got it covered."


	9. Chapter 8: The Lost Ship

Sofia walked through the castle gardens. It was a beautiful spring day in Enchancia. Her eight-year old sister was playing Backgammon with her Father. Her mother sat on a bench doodling. Clover leapt through the plants, searching for a snack.

"Beautiful day," said James walking up behind her, his dog, Rex running past them both, carrying a bone.

"Yes it is."

"Wanna take a turn on the obstacle course?" Asked James.

"No thanks, Just think I'll take a walk."

"Suit yourself."

James ran off. Sofia sighed taking in the warm spring air, the faint scent of the flowers in the castle garden filled her sinuses.

A sudden, blinding white light appeared in the sky in front of her, followed by a deafening roar. She instinctively knelt down, covering her face. Amber screamed. When Sofia looked up, the sky was orange with a multi-colored cloud rising in the distance, taking the shape of a giant cauliflower. Roland was covering Amber, while Miranda covered James. Sofia noticed everything around her ignite, including her skin. She cried out in pain which, mercifully, was cut short as a sudden wall of pressurized air hit her.

Her older self woke up with a gasp on the ground in a small tent, a sleeping Hugo's arms wrapped around her. It was cold in Northern Arendelle; a dusting of snow was on the ground outside the tent, and she could smell the faint embers of the morning fires in the camp. She awoke, grabbed her cloak and left the tent. She found the nearest Fire she could, sat on a log and warmed herself.

The red-haired woman in her 30s approached with two steaming cups, she handed one to Sofia.

"Thank you," said Sofia.

The woman smiled and sat down at the fire cadicorned to Sofia.

"You're princess Anna, aren't you."

The woman smiled, "I was."

There was silence for a few moments.

"How can you be at war with your sister?"

"I'm not, I'm at war with her ideology; I love my sister, and my sister still loves me."

"And yet you're trying to kill each other."

"No we're not, this isn't about killing," said Anna. "I wish killing didn't have come with it."

There was silence for another few moments. Tears were welling up in Anna's eyes.

"The last time I saw my sister," Anna said, "I told her that my husband and I..." she motioned to the large blond-haired man they had seen on the Frigate, he was playing hockey on a frozen pond with two boys who appeared to be somewhere around ten years old, "...could no longer accept a political ideology where one person rules over many. She gave me the tightest, warmest hug I've ever been given, kissed my forehead, and said, 'do what you have to do, Anna, I'll be waiting for you when it's all over.'"

"These Rebellions have spread all over the world," said Sofia, "they've torn families apart, broken friendships. I hate that."

"Me too."

Sofia Gestured toward the boys.

"Are those your sons?"

"Those are my boys. Growing up to be a bunch of Ice men like their father."

The two drank coffee in silence for a few minutes, when they were joined by Mulenik and Lucinda, holding hands.

"Hello Sofia," said Lucinda.

Sofia wasn't sure how to respond to Lucinda. She was glad to see her. She was angry at her. She wanted to hug and scream at her all at once. Respectfully, Anna stood and left, as did Mulenik. Lucinda sat down at the fire, coffee in hand. She sat in silence with Sofia for a time.

"I thought it was Arianna, now."

"That's my birth name."

"You never told me you had a different name."

"It never came up."

"I guess it was because you weren't dressed like a witch that I didn't recognize you that night two years ago, I'm sorry."

"Well it had already been a few years since we'd seen each other. I hear congratulations are in order."

"You too I guess."

"Andreas and I are happy, when we can spend time together."

There was a pause.

"You may not believe this," said Lucinda, "but he's a good man."

"You're right I don't."

Lucinda stared at the fire.

"You know I finally found out what happened to King Garrick, Prince Axel, and Queen Natalya," she began.

"I don't want to hear this," Sofia protested.

"Garrick took his wife to the highest tower in the Castle…"

"Stop…"

"The two of the jumped off of it, killing themselves…"

"Stop it!"

"Axel was shot, we don't know by whom."

"I told you to stop."

"Why?"

"Because it doesn't make any difference."

"Doesn't it?" Lucinda Protested. "We're not murderers, Sofia."

Sofia ignored this. She couldn't deny the logic in what Lucinda was saying. She believed her. She wasn't sure why but she did believe her. Perhaps it was a laten trust from when they were friends.

"You know, Sofia, you're the reason I got involved in all of this in the first place. You're the one who taught me to be a good witch instead of a bad one. You're the one who taught me that when I see someone suffering, I can't just look the other way, I have to get involved, I have to do something. And I saw Russivians starving to death while Royals held banquets, I saw children freezing to death for lack of wood when an entire forest lay nearby, but the King's guards had to protect his hunting grounds. I saw citizens petition King Garrick a hundred times only to be ignored, and I couldn't stand it anymore. I believe that if you had seen what I saw, you'd be in my place right here, right now."

"What about my husband?" Asked Sofia. "Is he responsible for all of that because he was Garrick's son, because he went to the banquets and hunted in that forest? Does his father's memory have to be sullied because of all of this."

Lucinda Shrugged.

"I imagine that Hugo's experience of his father is different than his people's. I don't see why they can't both be valid. As for his responsibility: I don't know, I don't know how much a boy who was fourteen at the time had to do with affairs of state. I'm not sure I would absolve him, but I wouldn't blame him either."

Sofia sighed.

"It's not as simple as I remember. There's Vor, Vor is evil, I stop her! There's Prisma, Prisma's evil, I stop her! Cedric's evil but he repents and becomes a better friend than anyone. But now, all of this is just so complicated."

"It's war, Sofia."

Sofia nodded. The two sat drinking their coffee for a few moments.

"I want to show you something," said Lucinda, "I want to show you what I came here for."

A half-hour later, Mulenik, Jade, and Hugo joined Sofia and Lucinda in walking down to the coast. They entered a large cave and traveled down a labyrinth of tunnels untill they came to what Sofia could only comprehend as a huge metallic wreck. It was a huge tube painted black with a tower sitting atop it. It was hundreds of feet long.

"What is it."

"It's a submarine," said Mulenik with an excited smile.

"I thought you'd like it, Andreas," said Lucinda, "another model to add to your collection."

"Oh it's brilliant!" Mulenik walked right up to the side of the ship, placed his hand admiringly on the metal; he pointed out some white letters on the side. "Look at that, the paint is perfectly preserved, and it's Russivian Script."

"It's Russian, our ancestors," said Lucinda. "This is what they called an Akula Class, or what their enemies called a Typhoon."

"How has been preserved for this long?" asked Hugo.

"It was buried under here in a near-vacuum until an artillery shell opened up these caverns," said Lucinda. "Arendelle Republican Rebels stumbled upon it looking for a place to hide. Would you like to see inside?"

Mulenik didn't bother giving an answer. There was a rope ladder leading up the hull and up the tower atop the tube. He climbed it and was the first of them to reach the top tower. He found a small, round hatch opened with a metal ladder leading down into the ship. When Lucinda reached the top, the last of them to do so, she motioned to Mulenik.

"Go on."

Mulenik smiled and began his climb down the ladder.

"Don't worry," she said to the others as she positioned herself on the ladder and began her descent, "it's perfectly safe."

Sofia was the next to descend, followed by Hugo followed by Jade. When they reached the bottom of the ladder, they found a small, lighted room. There were no open flames, the light appeared to be coming from spherical lanterns but without oil. The room was full of screens that were themselves alighted, displaying letters and numbers.

There was a small crew of Arendelle Rebels inside the ship, some were studying the consoles, some were taking notes on the screens. Sofia was extremely impressed

"Amazing," said Mulenik, "how did you get it working."

"We think the ancients somehow preserved it intentionally, as if they wanted it to be found," said Lucinda.

"I don't understand," said Hugo, "this is a ship?"

"It's a Submarine," said a young Rebel man in thick glasses, "we have them too, they're just a lot more primitive. The ancients would sail these things under water, carrying Nuclear Weapons to launch at their enemies."

"Ludwig's heading up the project of studying the ship," said Lucinda nodding at the man.

"This thing has nuclear weapons aboard?" asked Sofia.

"That's what we thought at first," said Ludwig, "But no, they were all fired during the war. After the war, survivors from all over the world gathered books, documents, etc. and hid them in places all over the world so that their culture would survive, that's where our knowledge of the ancients comes from. We think the crew of this submarine had the same idea, they recovered what they could and made the ship into a kind of time capsule, but this is the most complete library we have ever found of the ancients, there is more in here than in any other collection."

"So where are the books?" aske Sofia.

"There are quite a few in the lower decks," said Ludwig, "We translated most of them, all of them of great literary importance, they contain a wealth of information about the ancients' culture; but I'm talking about what the ancients called a computer."

Mulenik looked stunned, "You got an actual computer to work!?"

"It's all around you," said Lucinda, "every display that you see lets you read the largest collection of ancient literature ever found, literally millions of volumes on almost every topic."

"Unfortunately it also contains information that we must keep from the Order of the Wand," Said Lucinda

"What information?" Asked Sofia.

Ludwig looked to the ground guardedly.

"Information on how to build Nuclear Weapons," said Lucinda.

Sofia gave a look of nervous rage.

"That's why we have to keep the Order of the Wand away from this place," Said Lucinda "They're looking for the Glove, which you've hid, the library because it's where the last weapon is, but the greatest discovery for them would be…"

"An instruction manual," Sofia finished her sentence calmly, but with rage and terror still in her face. "A ready-made handbook to tell them how to make more weapons."

"Exactly," said Lucinda. "That's why we have to keep this place secured, so that the Order doesn't find it."

"I have a better idea," said Sofia, "Destroy it."

Mulenik and Lucinda looked shocked. Ludwig gave a look of near-violent protest.

"Princess, this is the largest library of human literature on the planet; this place is a treasure, we can't destroy it, think of how much knowledge we would lose!" Said Mulenik.

"'Knowledge puffs up," said Sofia, quoting what she heard the first Storykeeper say, "love builds up."

At this, Mulenik, for some reason looked surprised, almost as if convinced.

"Sofia," said Lucinda.

"As long as this computer exists it's only a matter of time before the Order of the Wand finds a way to build more of these things; I'm talking about saving the future of our world, you're talking about reading bunch of old books, destroy it!"

Mulenik's excited smile was now long gone, replaced by a look of regretful understanding. He had come to see that Sofia was right. Lucinda was still defiant.

"Sofia, this could be the most important discovery in history."

"Or the end of history!" Said sofia defiantly. "You both have told me about how you're not murderers, you both have claimed repeatedly that you have no interest in building these weapons for yourselves, and I didn't know whether or not to believe you, now I definitely don't."

"This is not about building nuclear weapons," Lucinda Whispered.

"Then Prove it!" Sofia pressed.

"She's right, Arianna," said Mulenik with a sad, resigned voice. "It's too much of a risk."

There was silence

"Can you rig the computer to self-destruct, Ludwig?" asked Lucinda.

Ludiwg was silent.

"Ludwig!" shouted Mulenik.

"Yes, I can do it," said Ludwig dejected.

"Then do it," ordered Lucinda.

Ludwig nodded.

Lucinda stormed to the ladder and climbed out.

There was more silence.

Mulenik turned to Sofia: "'knowledge puffs up, love builds up;' do you know where that comes from?"

"I know it's an ancient saying, that someone I know quoted," said Sofia.

"It comes from a very ancient religious text, very few copies of which survive,"

Sofia nodded. Mulenik continued.

"It also says, 'though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not love, I am become as sounding brass or a tinkling cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge… and have not love, I am nothing… Love suffereth long, and is kind; love envieth not; love vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not its own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil… Love Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, and endureth all things. Love never faileth, but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away. For we know in part… but when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away. When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as I child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things. For now we see through a mirror, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part, but then shall I know even as also I am known. Now abideth faith, hope, and love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.'"

Mulenik started for the ladder and climbed out after Lucinda. Sofia had never heard anything so beautiful as what he quoted. She was beginning to believe that he was conscientious, though she still could not being herself to trust him.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The next day, fifty or so Arendelle Rebels, many armed with muskets, stood in the cave outside of the Submarine. A long wire lead out of the hatch atop the tower and wound its way down to the front of the crowd, at the end of it was a small pad with a large switch.

In front of the crowd stood Sofia, Hugo, Mulenik, and Lucinda, joined by Ludwig, who held the pad, along with Anna, and Christoff. By Ludwig was a small, leather case.

"You're sure this is best?" asked Anna.

"Yes," said Mulenik.

Anna sighed, "Ludwig, do it."

"Wait," said Lucinda, hesitantly.

Sofia glared at her, Lucinda looked down at the rock, there were tears of regret in her eyes.

"I'll do it," she said.

She walked to Ludwig, who handed her the pad. Lucinda and moved her finger toward the switch.

"SERGEANT OF THE GUARD, RESTRAIN THEM!"

Came a voice, dozens of clicks were heard as several of the armed rebels aimed their muskets at those standing in the front. It finally hit Lucinda who gave the order. She turned to Ludwig to see him aiming a pistol at her head with his right hand. He was close enough that the barrel of the gun nearly touched Lucinda's forehead.

"Drop it!" Ludwig demanded.

A look of determined rage came over Lucinda.

"No."

With his left hand, Ludwig suddenly swatted the pad out of Lucinda's hand. Thuds were heard as the pad landed on the rocks.

"I will not let you destroy my work," said Ludwig. "And I will not let you destroy our key to victory," with these words his face turned toward Anna. "Your Excellencies!?"

"Thank you, Ludwig, very well done indeed!" came a calm voice from behind the gathering. Those in front spun to see two men approaching. One of the men was shorter, had long, light brown hair, was clean-shaven, and wore a monicle. The other was taller, thinner, with short, dark hair, and a goatee. Those in front recognized them immediately.

"Graylock, Grimtrix," said Sofia.

"Ah, Princess Sofia, she who has twice thwarted our plans," said Grimtrix, the man with the dark hair and the Goatee, "I wish I could say that it was good to see you again, but alas. Fortunately for both of us we won't have to see each other at all for much longer. Rather, very soon, you won't be seeing anything at all, after your execution is carried out. Of course I seriously considered allowing you to live in order to witness our attack on your home country, and experience, first hand, the fall of Enchancia, but then Greylock and I decided that, given how you've bested us in the past, you're far too dangerous to be kept alive."

"Oh Ludwig," said Anna. "You've destroyed us."

"No, Princess," said Grimtrix, "and it is Princess, though you may protest to the contrary, he has saved your revolution; saved it from those like you who are not willing to do what is necessary to achieve victory."

"You mean he handed power to you," said Mulenik, "don't pretend, Grimtrix, that this is about the Revolution; you've long since proved that you and your lackey, here…" at this he nodded at Greylock, "...are out for yourselves."

"Says the man who has spent his time betraying every principle of the Revolution by trading with Royalists," replied Grimtrix. "The Revolution won't have to bear your pitiful ideology any longer, nor will it have to bear you, or your _Little Witch_," Grimtrix nodded toward Lucinda who scowelled at him.

Grimtrix and Greylock ignored this and walked down to the front of the gathering, and addressed those at the front.

"Princess Anna of Arendelle, Count Christoff of Arendelle, Ambassador Andreas Dmitrivich Mulenik, and Ariana Lucinda Karamova Mulenika, for the crime of treason and consorting with our Royalist enemies, the high court of the Republican Revolution sentences you to death by hanging," Grimtrix turned to Sofia, Hugo, and Jade, "Grand Duchess Sofia, Princess of Enchancia, Hugo Garrickovich-I shall not use the title you pretend to hold-and Lieutenant Jade Thatcher, for the crime of espionage, the High Court of the Republican Revolution sentences you to death by hanging. Sentence to be carried out in public in the central square of the Castle of Arendelle City, at the earliest possible convenience of the Republic."

"Arrendelle City," Said Christoff, "that's Royalist controlled!"

"Oh yes, I forgot," said Grimtrix. "I suppose I should tell you, Princess Anna, it seems your sister has died."

Anna gasped.

"The Corinthian, Wei Ling, and Freezenburg Republican Armies laid siege to Arendelle City this morning," Grimtrix continued, "she put up quite a fight, with her, how do you say it, 'ice magic,' but regrettable though it may be for an old wizard such as myself to admit this, a well-aimed musket-ball to the heart can overcome almost any kind of magic."

Anna broke down on the floor, sobbing, Christoff knelt down to comfort her.

"You son of a bitch," said Hugo.

Grimtrix ignored him and turned to Ludwig.

"Comrade Mengele, do you have what I've requested."

Ludwig lowered his pistol, knelt down to the leather case and opened it. He pulled out a large stack of paper.

"Yes sir," he began, "I managed to figure out how to print out all the formulae. This document contains all the information you need to know to convert Uranium 238 into Uranium 235 and enrich it, as well as everything else you need to know to build a nuclear weapon."

"Very good, Comrade Mengele, thank you," said Grimtrix. "With this, the wicked tenth is of little consequence, and the Last Weapon is almost unnecessary, except that they shall make a fitting demonstration of our power."

"You don't know where the library is," said Sofia. "You don't know where the last weapon is,"

"Oh I wouldn't worry about that, Princess, we've more than enough forces to occupy your country until we find it, and you brother and father will be joining you shortly in the afterlife. Now, Mr. Mengele, did you actually rig the computer to self-destruct like we discussed so our ruse would be more convincing?"

"Yes sir."

"Good," said Grimtrix, "then destroy the computer!"

Ludwig looked shocked and terrified.

"But I… I don't understand sir… I…"

"Well let me try again, Mengele, and this time I shall speak very slowly so even someone of your intellect should be able to understand: destroy the computer!"

Ludwig breathed shallowly, panicked, "why?"

"With this document we have everything need, no sense in having anyone else find the submarine and learn to make these weapons."

There was a pause during which Ludwig couldn't bring himself to move.

"Very well, then I'll do it," said Grimtrix.

Grimtrix nodded to someone behind the crowd. There was a loud banging sound. A small red hole appeared in Ludwig's head; small amounts of blood flew out of it. Ludwig fell to the ground, dead.

Grimtrix picked up the pad and flipped the switch. The crowd heard clicking noises from within the submarine.

"Oh don't worry, the submarine itself will survive, it's computer will just be useless," Grimtrix nodded to the guards, "take them away, please."

"There's just one thing you forgot Grimtrix," said Lucinda.

"What's that?"

"You forgot to disarm the _Little Witch_,"

Before Grimtrix or the guards could register what was happening, Lucinda produced her wand and, with the same wave Sofia had seen two years ago, caused a massive blue shockwave to knock down everyone in the cave.


	10. Chapter 9: The Execution

Sofia was still having nightmares, still waking up to the unbearably cold Arendelle Winter. This time, her protector cloak had been removed and replaced with a thin, gray dress. She hadn't had any sign of her amulet or her enchancelet since she was knocked off of her feet by Lucinda's spell, presumably they were taken by Grimtrix and Graylock, who had always coveted the Amulet of Avalor.

She was in a cold cell under a thin blanket. Hugo was across the dungeon hallway. When they wanted to, they could see each other, they could talk to each other, but they could not touch. Sofia was glad to have Jade as a cellmate. Jade's military uniform had been likewise replaced with a gray dress. Jade often heard Sofia tossing as she had her nightmares and would climb into bed with her, holding her. Sofia was grateful, but missed Hugo.

She wasn't sure how long it had been. Three or four days at least. Lucinda had filled the cave with her blue shockwave, knocking everyone, including Sofia to the rocky ground. It had worked. Enough chaos was created to allow a brief struggle against Grimtrix and those revolutionaries loyal to him, but it met with mixed success.

When the blue dust cleared, Mulenik and Lucinda had escaped, Anna and Christoff were dead; Anna shot, Christoff bayoneted, and Sofia, Hugo, and Jade were bound for the Arendelle Dungeons.

About half of Arendelle city had been burned. The Castle was still still standing, but scorch-marks lined it's stone walls. On her way to the dungeons, she saw that the interior of the castle had been wrecked. Half of the artwork had been torn down, perhaps by looters; furniture was piled in the middle of the hallways in a vain attempt of now-dead Royalist Soldiers to build barricades.

From their cell in the dungeons, Jade and Sofia had a barred window that, at ground level, looked out to the castle courtyard, in which stood a gallows, usually with two coiled nooses prepared for whoever their next victims were. There was an execution almost every day, sometimes two; usually those who hanged were Royalist Sympathizers and Republican Rebels who refused to support Grimtrix. Sofia knew with a fearful knot in her stomach, that eventually she and her friends would be the ones to hang.

The most sickening part of the whole ritual was that whenever there was an execution, Grimtrix would force the surviving citizens of Arendelle city to file into the courtyard and watch the terrible spectacle. Though ashamed of it, Sofia was glad that the people's feet prevented her and Jade from seeing the executions themselves.

In the council chamber gathered Grimtrix, Graylock, and several of their high-ranking supporters, all wearing Arendelle, Corinthian, and Wei Ling Military Uniforms. Graylock spoke angrily.

"How incompetent can your military be, General," he addressed a woman in an Arendelle Uniform, "Fifteen of Anna's supporters are still at large, and there has been no sighting of Mulenik or the witch."

"They're of no consequence," said Grimtrix calmly.

"How exactly are they of no consequence," protested Graylock, "if they escape Arendelle, they'll return to Russivia and raise an army."

"Russivia is a landlocked country, they'd have to charter transportation here, and even if that weren't a factor in our favor, by the time they arrive we will be in Enchancia."

"What if they decide to make their stand in Enchancia?" asked a Wei Ling General.

"That will only make our victory more glorious," said Grimtrix.

"We don't have an unlimited number of troops, Grimtrix," said Greylock.

"After we've taken Enchancia and used the Last Weapon to destroy the town of Dunwiddie and whatever is left of the castle, we won't need troops," Grimtrix set the leather case Ludwig gave him on the table, "we have the weapon, and we will build more of them, and Enchancia's destruction will demonstrate to those who would oppose us that we are unstoppable."

"There's still the matter of the glove, Grimtrix," said Greylock.

"Ah yes, that," said Grimtrix as he produced the light blue glove and placed it on the table.

There was shock in the room.

"Our scouts caught up with Grand Duchess Matilda near the Misty Palisades. Again she put up quite a fight, and once again these non-magical soldiers proved the effectiveness of a well-aimed musket-ball. We have the glove, we have plans, we only need to find the library."

"How do you expect to find it?"

"Enchancia is not that large, it's somewhere near the castle, it'll take a week a most."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

There was nothing to do but wait. Jade and Sofia sat in their cells in silence. The people were beginning to file into the courtyard, and Sofia could only hope that today it would be them. She managed to catch a glimpse of the gallows; there was a single noose which she took to be a good sign.

"Sofia," came Hugo's voice from across the hall.

Sofia lifted her head to the barred window in the large, Iron door that enclosed her cell. She saw her husband's face staring back at her from across the hall.

"Are you alright?"

"Yeah, I'm fine."

"Did you have another nightmare?"

"Yes."

"I'm sorry."

"I'll survive," said Sofia, "my nightmares that is."

Hugo and Sofia smiled at her light gallows humor.

"I love you, Sofia."

"I love you too."

Boots stomped through the dungeon hallway, they were about to pick another poor gallows victim. Hugo and Sofia didn't have enough peripheral vision to see where the guards were going, until a guard's face appeared in front of Sofia's cell. Sofia's heart sank. The man inserted a key into the large door and opened it, revealing Grimtrix to be standing next to her. Sofia could see that another guard had opened Hugo's cell.

"Good morning, Princess, sleep comfortably?"

Sofia simply glared at him.

"I should tell you that your aunt has died."

Sofia had to struggle to maintain her glare.

"We recovered the Wicked Tenth; oh don't worry, it's quite safe." said Grimtrix. "I suppose you think you know why I'm here. Fascinating way to die, hanging, so simple in its methodology, and yet so wonderfully effective. Yet medically it's anything but simple. See, when you hang, any one of four things may kill you. The Carteroid Arteries in your neck may close, cutting off oxygen to the brain, The Jugular veins in your neck may also close causing the same result, the airway may close sufficient for you to suffocate, or your neck may simply break under the stress of supporting your entire body's weight below the head. With the method we employ it's almost never the last cause of death, almost always some combination of the first three. Unfortunately, I'm told you've been unable watch our executions due to the crowding of the courtyard; pity, they are fascinating spectacles. Master Graylock has dedicated himself to the study of human suffering; he hopes to write a book one day, and these recent executions have aided his research greatly. My interest has always been in propaganda, of course, and so my preference for the this method of execution is the public display of the victim and the effect it has on the population. But of course Master Graylock is more interested in the pain and the psychology of the victims. In any case, you three will be part of an experiment."

Graylock came up behind Grimtrix.

"Right, so," Graylock began, "most exciting: we're going to study the effects on a condemned prisoner of watching her friend be executed; we're going to find out whether or not the same feelings of loss which, I submit, are related to hope are engendered when the one who has suffered the loss of her friend is herself about die, after which we will be studying the psychological effects on the condemned of being executed with someone they love, in this case her spouse."

Graylock's eyes fixed on Jade.

"So I'm afraid, Lieutenant, that your time has come."

Jade tried to be brave, but in spite of this, she tensed up and breathed more heavily. Sofia walked to stand directly in front of her, facing her, their faces touching. Sofia took Jade's hands into her own.

"Jade," Sofia said, Jade kept breathing heavily, she looked Sofia in the eye. "Jade."

"Sofia," Jade said in between hyperventilating, "It's okay, it'll be okay."

Jade started shaking, tears were welling up in her eyes, "it'll be okay."

"Jade," was all Sofia could bring herself to say.

"Restrain her," said Gimtrix to the guards.

One of Jade's hands was forcibly yanked out of Sofia's followed by the other. Sofia placed her hands on Jade's cheeks as the guards tied Jade's hands behind her back, and yanked Jade back away from Sofia into the dungeon hallway.

"It'll be okay Sofia!" Jade shouted as the guard led her forcefully down the hallway.

"Jade!" Sofia shouted back as she walked right into a guard's arm, restraining her, "Jade, I love you!"

"It'll be okay!" Jade's voice came back faintly.

"Them too," said Graylock. "Take them to the Dais."

Guards tied Sofia and Hugo's hands behind their backs and led them forcibly out of the dungeon.

The air was cold, snow was falling lightly, and all Sofia wore was a thin, long-sleeved gray dress, Hugo was in long-pants and a thin, white shirt as they stood together on the Dais among Grimtrix's supporters, each dressed in military regalia. The courtyard was full of people with flat faces staring at the gallows.

Beats arose from two drums, one on each side of the gallows. Two Guards, one at each arm, walked a barefoot Jade, wearing the same grey dress as Sofia, to the gallows. She mounted the scaffold without any struggle, and even stepped up onto the stool that would the the last thing her feet would ever touch. She was struggling to be calm, but as the hooded hangman adjusted the coiled, thick noose around her neck, she let out what seemed like a labored breath. She was shaking, partly from nerves, partly from the cold.

Jade stood atop the stool looking around the crowd. When she found Sofia on the Dais, the two looked at eachother. Sofia was sobbing, Jade was trying not to. Softly, timidly at first, but then louder, Jade began to sing.

"_From the silver flying horses," _Jade's song was directed at Sofia as she sobbed, _"of the ever golden glades, to the dragons on the cliff tops, of the blazing palisades, Enchancia, Enchancia, Come hear our humble call, Enchancia, Enchancia, a land for one and all…"_

Jade's song was cut short by the hangman kicking away the stool from under her feet. A pained look came over her face. At first she simply hung without moving, then her feet began to kick uncontrollably.

Sofia fell to the platform of the dais and vomited. Hugo knelt beside her with his arms around her.

"How interesting," said Greylock. "Almost as if they themselves were completely unaware of their impending death."

"Indeed," said Grimtrix, "Or is it that they are not so much mourning their friend, as they are terrified of it happening to them."

"Mmmm."

After about thirty seconds, Jade's kicking stopped, the pained, struggling expression gave way to a contorted but relaxed look, her body was still, she appeared to be at peace. Sofia threw dignity to the wind and sobbed as loudly as she ever had. Others on the dais looked at her with disdain as she cried into Hugo's arms.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Grimtrix ordered that Jade's body remain hanging for an hour before she was cut down for burial. Sofia watched from the doorway that led from the castle just above the dungeon to the courtyard as two guards carefully removed the noose from her neck and laid her body in a wooden box. There were two more wooden boxes laid open before the gallows.

Sofia was flanked by Hugo, they were barefoot, with their hands bound behind their backs. Neither of them cried or shivered. They were now completely numb, not even the cold got to them through their thin clothing. Days in Arendelle were short during the winter. It was already getting dark enough for fires to be lit throughout the courtyard for light.

The same guards who laid Jade's body in a wooden box, threw two nooses over the crossbeam of the gallows and set two stools underneath them.

Hugo leaned over to Sofia.

"Don't be afraid," he said to her.

"I'm not afraid," she said in reply.

"I'm sorry that we couldn't," Hugo paused, and sniffed back a tear, "have more time."

"Me too," said Sofia with a flat affect.

She turned to look at him, seeing him looking down into her eyes.

"I love you, Hugo." 

"I love you, Sofia."

Hugo leaned into Sofia's lips, kissing them, when the two of them felt a push from the guards behind them. They walked forward to the gallows. Drumbeats erupted. The faces of the people gathered in the crowd were cold and flat, some cried, none were happy to be there. Sofia walked up the steps of the gallows first, followed by Hugo. Both stepped up to the stools without any resistance. The hooded executioner first adjusted the noose around Sofia's neck, then Hugo's.

At the front of the Dais facing the gallows stood Grimtrix.

"And now, good citizens of the Republic," he began, "this is the fate that awaits those who oppose freedom. We stand at the dawn of a new age, an age in which Kings and Queens are no more, an age in which ability and merit will determine one's place in society. But as a new dawn arises, so must the night fade…"

All of the people in the courtyard stood in front of the gallows between the gallows and the dais. Most of them were facing toward the dais away from the gallows to hear Grimtrix speak. No one stood behind the gallows, except one person who approached from behind. He was completely undisguised, wearing his customary black coat, pants, vest, and cravat. He walked with his usual complete self-control, as if every step were meticulously planned. It was perhaps Grimtrix's own disbelief that kept him from recognizing Andreas Mulenik, and allowed him to dismiss his presence as perhaps just another Arendelle Soldier. The man mounted the Gallows from behind.

"...as we rise to new life in a new era, so must these denizens of the old era…" Grimtrix stopped, bewildered as he finally recognized the man who mounted the gallows, and now stood between Sofia and Hugo. For the first time, the distracted guards and executioner noticed him as well, their surprise kept them from restraining him.

"I'm sorry," Mulenik began, "were you not finished? I didn't mean to interrupt, please continue."

A guard standing on the gallows rushed at Mulenik who simply slid to the side at precisely the correct moment, sending the guard flying off the gallows, landing on his face on the ground. Another guard took aim at Mulenik with his musket. Mulenik, at the proper moment, took a single step forward, and the musket fired a ball entered the hooded head of the executioner.

Mulenik then walked right up to the guard and said "here, let me help you," Mulenik simply shoved the man off of the side of the gallows onto his back on the ground. Both Guards who had fallen off the gallows platform were fine, but unsure of what to do next. Mulenik turned to face the dais.

"You are customarily unarmed, Mulenik," said Grimtrix, "and therefore out gunned, and outnumbered."

A chorus of clicks were heard as every Arendelle Guard in the courtyard took aim at Mulenik.

Mulenik was unphased, "oh?"

"Aside from you and your wife, there are only fifteen followers of the late Princess Anna left in Arendelle, even if they are here, we have thousands."

"Well, they are here, that much is true," Mulenik retorted.

With that, fifteen people scattered throughout the courtyard in cloaks, including two ten-year old boys suddenly threw them off, revealing muskets. They each aimed at a guard.

"Your security's terrible, Grimtrix; but I don't suppose you'd be willing to bypass the whole 'let us take Sofia and Hugo back to Enchancia' and no one gets hurt part of the conversation?"

"How dare you threaten us! How dare you dictate terms to us! Your threats are empty! How will you carry them out? You and what army!?"

"This one!"

The sounds of hundreds of boots stomping atop the parapet of the wall surrounding the courtyard was heard. Hundreds of men and women in Russivian Republican Army Uniforms, bearing muskets, took aim at various targets in the courtyard below.

Mulenik addressed the Arendelle guards, "Comrades, you have been Conned! These men speak the language of radicalism, freedom, and justice, they wouldn't know such things, if they came up and bit them in the ass…"

There was a laugh coming from the crowd.

"Those of you in Republican Uniform: Russivian, Corinthian, Wei Ling, or Arendelle, who still wish to fight for freedom, and the true Ideology Democratic Republicanism, you stand with us now!"

About a quarter of the Arendelle guards lowered their weapons and took positions that clearly communicated hostility toward Grimtrix.

"I guess it isn't over yet, Grimtrix," shouted Mulenik.

Grimtrix's face became enraged, he quickly produced his wand and with a wave sent a fiery shockwave throughout the courtyard, reminiscent of the ones Lucinda was so fond of. The shock knocked everyone off their feet, and knocked the stools out from under Sofia and Hugo. A wand-borne spark emanating from one of the walls sliced the two ropes in half; the two hanged for less than a second before plummeting to the gallows floor. The wand was Lucinda's who now flew fast atop her broom, circling the courtyard, hexing any enemy she could find.

Both Sofia and Hugo were coughing loudly, but by now their coughs were drowned out by the sounds of muskets filling the courtyard. The fiery shockwave also did more than knock people off their feet, it ignited the wood in the walls of the Arrendelle Castle; fire was spreading everywhere.

Sofia made it to Hugo's side and helped him to his feet.

"Are you alright?" she said though coughs and a sore throat.

Hugo threw his arms around her tightly, she returned his hug.

"We can catch up later!" interrupted Mulenik, breaking them up, "now we need to get the hell out of here."

At that moment, Lucinda paused just above the gallows.

"Ariana!" shouted Mulenik, "Let's move!"

Lucinda sent green sparks from her wand that glowed over the courtyard signalling the Russivian Soldiers to retreat. As they were all atop the walls, their retreat carried them through different exits than those in the courtyard, who had to take a single exit back to the docks where their ship awaited. Sofia, Hugo, and Mulenik made their way back to this arch as the fire caused it to collapse.

"Shit!" shouted Mulenik

Lucinda flew down to them, hopping off her broom.

"Ariana, we need another way out."

Lucinda looked around until her face fixated on the North.

"Make your way to the North Turret!" she shouted "I'll meet you there with a carriage!"

"Get the ship underway before their Navy attacks! Then meet us at the turret then fly us out of here!"

Lucinda planted a kiss on Mulenik's lips before leaping back on her broom and speeding out.

"Let's go you two," said Mulenik.

On their way to the north entrance of the castle wall, Hugo picked up a pistol that had fallen to the ground. Those soldiers and guards of Arendelle who now supported Mulenik were battling those who supported Grimtrix, providing a diversion.

The three made their way through the labyrinth of the Castle interior, they occasionally met or had to dodge men and women firing at each other, or dueling.

"Comrade Andreas!" came the loud voice of a young boy, flanked by another one, as Hugo, Sofia, and Mulenik made their way through a wide corridor. Mulenik turned to see the boys, carrying their muskets as they approached him.

"We got em on the run!" said one boy.

"What's our mission!?" said the other.

"What do we do now!?" said the one.

"You've already done enough," Mulenik said, "thank you! Now get out of here, make for the mountains, and stay hid until this is over!"

"Wait," said Sofia, kneeling down to the two boys, "I have a mission for you both."

The two looked at her in the eye as they stood close to her, "the books back at the submarine, when it's safe for you to go there, go and save them! make sure the ancients survive!"

Mulenik looked impressed. The two boys nodded and ran off.

"I thought knowledge puffed up," said Mulenik.

"Knowledge with love can build up too," said Sofia

"I'm going to have to remember that one," said Mulenik as the three took off on their run.

The three made their way to the north turret, which stood on the opposite end of the castle from the sea. When they reached the turret, they came to a window and spotted Lucinda approaching from a distance on her broom, behind her was a flying horse, pulling a small cart. The fire on the grounds below had now become so large that it covered everything below them.

"How did you get here so fast," asked Hugo, "Russivia's landlocked."

"Compliments of the Norberg fleet," responded Mulenik, "and their fastest ship: she'll more than outrun these bastards back to Enchancia!"

"But I don't understand, even if you escaped Arendelle and started back for Russivia that day by the submarine, you still wouldn't have been able, raise an army, and make it back here in time."

"He arranged this before we left Enchancia," said Sofia, "didn't you?"

Mulenik climbed out the window of the turret onto a parapet large enough to stand on, Hugo and Sofia followed him.

"I thought we might need a plan B," said Mulenik as Lucinda landed, planting a kiss on Mulenik's lips as she did.

"This is going to be tricky," she said, "Sofia!" Lucinda handed Sofia's enchantlet and her amulet to her, "you dropped these that day by the submarine…"

In midst of everything, Sofia had forgotten that she had even brought them, and that she hadn't been wearing them when she was taken to the Arrendelle Castle. She put them both on as quickly as she could.

"I managed to recover them before they could get their hands on them, I'm sorry I didn't have time to wake you up from the shock spell; you know what to do."

Sofia nodded, "hugo put your arms around me," she prepared for the flying horse and cart to get close enough.

"Andreas, you'll ride with me," said Lucinda.

Mulenik nodded.

A green spark came from the central tower, hitting the roof of the north turret, causing an explosion that made the three go prone on the parapet. Grimtrix leaned out a window in the central tower, his wand was firing hexes at the escapees.

The flying horse-drawn cart was close enough.

"Sofia, Go!" shouted Lucinda.

Sofia launched the lasso of her enchantlett at the cart, catching the flying horse around its large neck. The horse pulled her and Hugo away from the parapet into mid air, just as a hex from the central tower struck the parapet right under where Lucinda stood, causing her to fall through where the floor had been before she could mount her broom.

"No!" shouted Mulenik as he reached forward, his chest hitting the flat surface of the parapet, he was now laying flat on his stomach, but had managed to grab Lucinda's hand before she fell any further. Lucinda hung above the burning fire that engulfed the ground level of the castle, holding tightly to her husband's hand. In the explosion, she dropped her broom, which fell to the ground, burning up in the inferno below.

"Lucinda!" came sofia's voice shouting back from the cart as it flew off. As the cart was flying off, Sofia, now using her enchantlet's retraction to pull her and hugo up to the horse as it flew, shouted at the Russivian soldier who was driving the cart, "Go back!"

The soldier nodded and turned the flying horse around.

Lucinda and Mulenik could hear voices and the stomping of boots approaching on the stairs leading up to the top of the turret from within. Soon they would be surrounded. The fire below them burned so that even a hundred feet off the ground, Lucinda could still painfully feel its heat.

Lucinda looked below her at the raging inferno, and then looked into her husband's eyes, she was terrified, but she gave her husband a face that communicated her resolve.

"I love you," she said softly, "I'm sorry."

"Don't you dare!" Said Mulenik.

She took a few deep breaths, then appeared calm, still looking her husband in the eye, this time more forcefully...

"Run!" she said softly, then let go.

There was silence for a brief moment as Lucinda fell, her arms extended to where her body was cruciform when she finally disappeared into the inferno below.

Mulenik didn't remember the next few seconds. Sofia, who by now, had managed to climb with Hugo into the cart, fired the enchancelet's lasso which wrapped around the top of Mulenik's torso, lifting him off of the parapet. He didn't remember this part. Although conscious, everything was a blur until he came too atop the flying cart as it sped toward the fast frigate, escaping into the night.

"Andreas!" Shouted Sofia. Although Mulenik did not hear until that moment, she had been shouting at him repeatedly. He finally noticed. He started hyperventilating. He looked Sofia in the eyes.

"O My God I lost her," he said and broke down into sobs. Sofia wrapped her arms around him tightly.


	11. Chapter 10: The Voyage Home

The freezing air blew past their heads as the cart flew through the air toward the Norberg Frigate that would take them home. One Problem remained: it was too small to land on. It was a mile away. Mulenik breathed heavily as he leaned frontward on the front seat of the cart (a seat that face backwards). Sofia's arm was on his shoulder.

"Andreas!" she said, "I need you!"

Mulenik, tears still in his eyes nodded.

"Okay!" he said "Here's what we're going to do."

He leaned toward the man in the Russivian Private's Uniform driving the cart.

"Private!" he said, "Listen up! We're going to fly past the ship, directly in front of it about a half-mile. Then we're going to have to get wet. We're going to jump right in front of it. Now, the water is freezing, and it'll take a few minutes for ship to get to us; so we'll need to swim for it, we have to keep our bodies moving! Otherwise, we can freeze to death really fast."

Everyone in the cart nodded. The Private's look was of sheer terror.

"Alright, Private," said Mulenik, "Slow the horse down, I want you to fly as close to the side of the ship as you can, I need to be able to talk to them!"

The Private gave a nervous nodd. The cart was approaching the ship's port side from behind.

"Woah, slower down," said Mulenik.

The Private pulled back on the reigns, the cart was flying quickly past the port side of the ship. Mulenik Leaned over the side of the carriage and placed his open palms by the sides of his mouth before shouting as loudly as he could to those on deck who were watching the cart fly by.

"READY THE NETS!"

One of the sailors on deck held a thumbs up to him.

"Alright, Private, keep her slow," said Mulenik.

"Do you have a knife?" asked Sofia.

Without thinking, Mulenik handed her a small pocket knife. They were now past the ship flying low and slowly.

"Get ready!" Mulenik said.

There was a pause.

"Jump!"

Mulenik, The Private, and Hugo immediately jumped into the water. Sofia leapt onto the back of the flying horse, and cut her reigns loose, causing the cart to fall off and crash into the water.

"Thank you," she said to the horse.

"You're welcome," the horse replied.

Sofia jumped off of the Horse's back into the sea. The freezing water overwhelmed her, and when she emerged she gave off an involuntary, short scream. She looked around, the ship approaching her, and swam for it. After about ninety seconds in the water, she heard voices and saw a swim ring attached to a rope, she grabbed it and held as tightly to it as she had ever held to anything. She felt a tug at the rope as she was pulled into a net on the side of the ship. She found Mulenik hanging off of it, offering his hand to help her up. She took it, released the swim ring, and climbed up to find Hugo and the Private already on deck, wrapped in thick towels.

Mulenik and Sofia were each handed a towel. A man in a Norberg Naval Uniform shouted…

"Get them to the galley, quickly, get that stove going."

When they arrived in the galley, there was a fire in a large iron stove that the four of them stood in front of. An enlisted men brought in a stack of dry clothes.

"We need to get out of these clothes, quickly."

Shivering, they all disrobed, as quickly as they could, looking away from each other. They put on the dry clothes, which were extra Norbert Enlisted Naval Uniforms as quickly as they could, and were still quite cold. The same enlisted man brought each of them a steaming hot cup of coffee, and then arranged small, wooden chairs in the galley in a semi-circle in front of the stove. The four of them sat silently, sipping their coffee, warming up.

The Ship was a small 20-gun frigate; small and fast. In addition to its slim design and large sales, it sported a steam powered paddlewheel, and had the ability to extend oars. It's headstart on the navy behind them was more than enough to warn Enchancia once they arrived.

After what seemed like an eternity, Sofia felt warm for the first time since she arrived in Arendelle. She and Hugo sat in the wooden chairs side-by-side sharing a blanket and body heat.

The four sat in silence for hours, numbed by the deaths of their friends. Sofia kept replaying memories in her head of both Lucinda and Jade. She helped Lucinda choose to be the person that she was. She started life as a "bad" witch, but then decided to be "good." Everything Lucinda became, right to the moment she gave her life so that they could escape was because of Sofia. Sofia felt both pride and guilt, she felt responsible for Lucinda's death. She was quite far away when Lucinda let go and plunged into the fire below, but even from that distance, she could tell that Lucinda had let go purposely to give her husband and the others time.

She had known Jade since they were both very young. Pictures of her and Jade as children were running through her head: the many games of Dazzleball they played together, Buttercups outings, sleepovers, playgrounds, picnics.

Her numbness faded and tears came to her eyes as she came back to the sight of her on the gallows, struggling violently against the noose; Sofia thought of how frightened she was, how brave she was, and how painful and terrible a way to die it must have been. She tried to repress the memories; the thought of her friend in such terrible pain was, for herself, too painful.

Then one memory came back as clear as if it were happening presently: Jade singing the Enchancian national anthem; not from the gallows but as a child, during the harvest festival eight years ago when she sang for the festival with Sofia and Ruby. She loved the song, she loved Enchancia. She remembered suddenly just how intently Jade looked at her while she sang from the gallows. She realized that while Jade was definitely being brave, she was also trying to tell Sofia something. She was trying to tell Sofia that she wanted to go home. Jade knew she was going to die, but she wanted her body to be taken back to Enchancia. Sofia resolved that, once all of this was over, she would return to Arendelle and ensure just that, and she would try to find Lucinda as well.

"We have to do something, Hugo," Said Sofia. "When all this is over, and if I don't survive, you need to make sure that it gets done."

Hugo nodded.

"Go back to Arendelle, and find where they buried Jade; Lucinda too if we can,"

At this Mulenik looked at Sofia, a numb, flat affect on his face.

"We have to find them, we have to bring them home, and bury them with their families."

Hugo nodded. At this, Mulenik stood from his chair and left the Galley. After a few seconds, Sofia stood and followed him. Hugo and the private sat together staring into the fire. Finally Hugo broke the silence.

"What's your name?"

"Danilov, sire," Hugo noticed that the young man addressed him as King.

"What do you think of all of this?" asked Hugo.

"I think it's cold," Said Danilov sarcastically.

The two of them shared a laugh.

"I fight for my country sire," Danilove clarified, "not for a king, not for a republic."

Hugo nodded.

Sofia found Mulenik on deck, leaning against the railing, looking out at the sea. It was still very cold.

"I don't think that Ariana would care where she was buried," said Mulenik softly, in a resigned tone.

"I'm sorry if what I said was offensive to you," said Sofia, "I know how much she meant to you."

Mulenik sighed, still staring out at the ocean.

"I don't think you do, but on the other hand I don't think anyone could."

"Fair enough," said Sofia.

Sofia joined him in staring out at the ocean, leaning on the railing.

"I'm sorry about Jade," said Mulenik, still in a soft, resigned voice. "I couldn't get there in time, if I did she'd still be alive."

Sofia nodded, tears in her eyes.

"I'm sorry about Lu… Ariana," said Sofia, "I couldn't get the cart turned around in time."

Mulenik nodded.

"I'm also sorry about your mother," said Mulenik, "and your sister. I didn't want them, or anyone else for that matter, to die to build the Republic."

Sofia started sobbed, "so much death!"

"Yeah," said Mulenik.

They continued their staring in silence.

"I know where they buried Jade," said Mulenik.

Sofia turned to look at him.

Mulenik continued, "I saw them carrying her casket out of the courtyard to the place where they took the others they'd executed. It's an unmarked grave, but it's a start."

"Thank you," said Sofia. "I was wrong about you; you're a good man."

"No I'm not," Mulenik Whispered.

"Andreas, you know what's coming," said Sofia, "I need you, we need you."

"I'm here, aren't I?" said Mulenik.

Sofia nodded, the two stared into the sea in silence for a few more minutes before quietly going their separate ways.


	12. Chapter 11: The End of History

A/N: Despite the name, this is NOT the last Chapter...

Bells of the Enchancian harbor rang as the Norberg Frigate was spotted.

"Ship on the Horizon, man the guns!" came a yell.

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King Roland stood in a Castle Corridor staring into the stained glass window of his family that he had installed eight years prior.

"Your Majesty," called Baileywick, running up the corridor, "ship on the Horizon, Light Frigate flying a Norberg Republican rebel flag."

"Send two frigates to intercept, I'm going down to the harbor," Roland turned to leave the corridor.

"Your majesty, I believe Admiral Vasquez can handle this."

Roland ignored baileywick and kept walking at a very quick step.

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Captain Michaels of the Norberg Frigate spotted the two Enchancian frigates coming straight at him; he noticed immediately that each of their forward cannons were manned.

"Run up the White Flag!" said Michaels, handing the telescope to Sofia.

"The Maximus and the Scarlett, his fastest ships, my father means business," said Sofia, handing the telescope to Mulenik.

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"Could be a trick," said Admiral Vasquez to King Roland as the two of them stood at the harbor. Roland held a telescope over his eye, observing the frigate as it approached. He caught two hands waving wildly at him and noticed right away to whom they belong.

"Tell those ships to hold their fire!"

"Hold Fire!" Shouted Vasques as several colored flags were hoisted up a pole.

Roland handed the telescope to Vasquez.

"The princess, how the hell did she get on that ship."

"With Sofia, I've learned it's sometimes best not to ask."

Minutes later, the frigate pulled up to a dock upon which stood Vasquez, Roland, James, and Ruby, and several dock workers in military uniforms. Several men on the frigate threw ropes down to them, and they lashed the ship to the dock. A gangway was set up between the ship and the dock, Sofia ran down into her Father's arms, sobbing.

"What happened?" he asked.

"Where's Jade?" asked Ruby.

Sofia left her father's embrace and threw her hands around Ruby, "Ruby," she hesitated, "Jade didn't make it."

"No!" said James

Tears welled up in Ruby's eyes, Sofia pulled her into an embrace as she started sobbing as Captain Michaels, Andreas Mulenik, and Hugo came down the gangplank.

"Lucinda's gone too," said Sofia to Ruby.

Roland looked at Mulenik.

"I understand she was your wife, I'm sorry."

Mulenik's expression was flat.

"Your majesty there's a fifty-ship navy about five hours behind us, we need to get the castle ready for attack now."

"Alert General Myles, call up the militia, ready the knights, and mobilize the fleet," barked Vasquez.

Vasquez carefully approached Ruby, who was still being held by Sofia.

"Colonel Henshaw, I know this is hard, but you have work to do."

Sofia and Ruby released, Ruby nodded, tears still in her eyes. She approached James who hugged her and gave her a peck, after which she and Vasquez left the docks. Mulenik turned to several Russivian Soldiers standing on the Norberg Frigate…

"Your majesty that's a Russivian Republican battalion at your service, three hundred troops."

Roland looked hesitant.

"You can trust him, Dad."

Roland nodded, "deploy them to the castle!"

Mulenik turned to face the soldiers and gave a hand gesture toward the castle, after which the entire battalion began marching in a column down the gangplank. Mulenik gave a polite headbow to the king.

"I'll get them ready," Mulenik turned to leave.

"Cousin!" said Hugo.

Mulenik looked at his cousin. There was a pause.

"I'm coming with you," said Hugo.

Mulenik nodded and the two walked off the dock together.

Roland addressed Captain Michaels.

"Captain thank you so much for bringing my daughter home. This isn't your fight, you should leave immediately before the enemy arrives."

"Your majesty," said Captain Michaels, "my ship will stand and fight with our allies!"

"Thank you, Captain, we can use you, ready your ship then report to Admiral Vasquez."

Michaels nodded and then returned to his ship.

Sofia, James, and Roland walked together off of the dock. 

"Any word from the Avaloran Fleet?" asked Sofia.

"None," said Roland, "What happened out there."

"Arendelle has fallen to Grimtrix and Greylock, now they're on their way here. They have the Wicked Tenth."

Roland stopped walking, looking at Sofia in shock, "what about Tilly?"

"She's dead."

Roland's eyes closed with a sigh, James gave a look of dejection.

"We'll have to tell Sir Bartleby," said Roland.

"There's more, they also found plans to build more weapons."

"Have they built any?"

"I don't think so, not yet, but they plan on setting off the Last Weapon in Enchancia as some kind of demonstration. I cannot stress how destructive these weapons are, Dad, the library showed me, we have to stop them."

"We will."

Sofia's amulet suddenly glowed blue.

"I have to go to the Library," she said as she bolted off.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Minutes later, Sofia walked into the library and looked at the magic screen. The first storykeeper met her.

"They're on their way I take it?" said the storykeeper.

"Yes, we have to stop them from getting here, is there anything you can do?"

The First storykeeper took a long look around the library.

"Yes," but first you must come with me.

There was a door hiding in plain sight in the Library, one which Sofia had seen many times, but for some reason never dared enter. The First storykeeper led her through it and down a long, metal, spiral staircase into a metal room that reminded her of the submarine. Like the submarine both were lighted with spherical lanterns that seemed to work without wood or oil, and like the submarine, lighted letters and numbers shone from screened displays. The First storykeeper led Sofia to a pile of old bones. A strange-looking pistol was held in what appeared to be the remains of a skeleton's hand.

"This is you, isn't it?"

"Yes."

Lying by the bones was a large book bound in three rings lying opened. Gesturing toward it, the First Storykeeper said "take it."

Sofia picked it up, it was very dusty, it was written in a language that she couldn't understand.

"You'll have to get Cedric to translate it," we don't have time to teach you ancient English.

"How did he learn?"

"Two-three-Five. Bring it back here when you can, it'll tell you what to do."

Sofia nodded.

"Thank you for everything."

Sofia turned to head back up the spiral staircase and started out of the library. As she was about to exit, she suddenly stopped and turned back to see the First Storykeeper watching her go with a sad expression on his face.

"You're going to destroy the library, aren't you."

"Yes," said the First Storykeeper.

Sofia sighed.

"So that's why you said that I am 'the harbinger of the end of history' isn't it."

The First Storykeeper nodded.

"Then what about all of these unfinished stories?"

"The people will have to find their own happy endings now."

"What about me?" asked Sofia, "What do I do now?"

"Remember these words: '_Now I am ready to be offered up, and the time of my departure is at hand, I have fought the good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith.'"_

Sofia nodded, and moved to pick up Clover who was laying on his bed.

"Sofia," said clover weakly, "just leave me here, princess."

"I can't clover, you heard us, he's going to destroy the Library." 

"Sof," said Clover, "I'm old, I've got nowhere to go."

Tears came to Sofia's eyes, "I've already too many friends, Clover."

Clover smiled, "No one's ever really lost, Sofia."

Clover took a deep breath, his eyes slowly shut, and he breathed no more.

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Roland stood in front of a mirror in his personal wash room, he was just finishing shaving off the last of his beard when he heard the harbor bells ring in the distance. He walked over to his window and threw it open toward the sea. In the distance he could see small dots coming slowly into focus, the enemy had arrived.

Roland dressed in a comfortable, but tight-fitting uniform, placed his throne upon his head, and left his room.


	13. Chapter 12: The Battle of Enchancia

[AN: I have become aware of an extremely important error on my part: something which I should have known and did know at one point, but have since forgotten. (I studied Theology in Higher Education, not Science, sorry). Uranium 238 is not Weapons Grade Uranium, rather Uranium 235 CAN be Weapons Grade. This is not the only scientific problem with this story by a long-shot but the others, I feel, are necessary to advance the plot, whereas this one is an easy fix, so I've edited the previous Chapters accordingly. The Circle of Two-Three-Eight is now the Circle of Two-Three-Five, among other changes I have made to correct this error.]

As the sun began to set, clouds had gathered over the sea, from which lightning lit up the sky. The battle would not be the only storm.

In the throne-room gathered several leaders being addressed by Admiral Vasquez. Among them were Sir Bartleby and his Knights, General Myles, Cedric, Colonel Ruby Hanshaw, Sofia dressed in Knights' Armor, Andreas Mulenik in the same Russivian Military Uniform he wore during the fall of the Russivian Kingdom two years earlier, and Hugo dressed in Royal Russivian Uniform, standing to his right.

"Our navy will attempt to engage the enemy as far away from the shore as possible, General Myles has also set up a hundred heavy cannon aimed at the harbor, but they may have as many as three hundred thousand troops, so some of their longboats will get through our fleet and our harbor bombardment."

"How many troops do we have?" asked Sir Finnegan.

"With Colonel Henshaw's Militia, the Russivian Rebel Battallion, our Knights and regulars, seventy-five thousand," Said Admiral Vasquez.

Mulenik gave him a look of "I told you so."

There was a collective sigh.

"This castle will provide some advantage," said Mulenik, "and from trying to get their longboats through our blockade and the bombardment, they're going to lose at least half their troops before they even get here, from there, it's simply a matter of pouring down hell from the walls. They outnumber us, true, but we can make it so that to take this castle would be a hollow victory."

"The knights will provide air support using grenades [A/N handgrenades existed in the West as early as the Byzantine Empire, so even though the technology of this post-apocalyptic version of the disneyverse world is old, the use of grenades fits in], Sir Bartleby and his group will fly out with the fleet, Sir Finnegan and his group will stay over land.

"I will be leading the fleet personally," said a clean-shaven King Roland, looking more regal than any had seen him in a long time, "from the floating palace, which has been loaded down with cannon."

"Your majesty I strongly suggest you remain in the castle," said Admiral Vasquez.

"Your suggestion is noted," said Roland dismissively. "Cedric, have you been working on your spell?"

"Oh yes, Sire, I can destroy an entire ship with a single flick of my wand, but there's a problem."

"A problem?"

"It takes a lot of energy and a lot of concentration, I can't use it more than once every half-hour or so."

"I only need you to use it once, on Grimtrix and Greylock's ship."

"How will we know which one that is?" asked Vasquez.

'Bartleby? game for an airborne spotting mission?"

"Oh yes, Sire," came Sir Bartleby's high-pitched but angrily resolved voice.

"Alright everyone let's get going."

The Crowd dispersed. Roland moved directly at a quick step with Cedric and Vasquez to the Docks.

"Your Majesty, with your permission, I'd like to remain at your side," said Baileywick catching up to him.

"I need you to take care of the Castle, Baileywick."

"Sire," said Baileywick, Roland and Cedric stopped in their tracks, "the staff know what to do, permission to join you."

Roland put his hand on Baileywick's shoulder, smiled, and nodded, the three men were off, Cedric stepped away for a moment and headed toward Sofia.

"Sofia," said Cedric extending his wand to her, it was facing himself. "I want you to have this, use it well, apprentice!"

"What about you?" Asked Sofia.

Cedric held up the wand that his father gave him seven years ago.

"Family Wand."

"I need you to survive, Cedric, it's very important," said Sofia. "Of course because I love you," she laughed, "but also because the First Storykeeper has work for us to do."

Cedric nodded. The two of them embraced, and Cedric ran of to catch up to Baileywick, Vasquez, and the king. As Sofia was taking a large bag full of grenades around her shoulder, and donning a helmet, an armored Ruby pulled her aside.

"Sofia, tell me," Ruby said, "How did Jade die?"

Sofia paused and sighed.

"She was executed by Grimtrix and Greylock."

"Was it quick? Did she suffer?"

Sofia wanted to lie to her friend, but felt she owed her the truth.

"Yes, she did suffer; she was hanged, it was not quick, it was not painless, it was not dignified," said Sofia regretfully, "She was very scared, but she was very brave, right up to the end. She walked to the gallows with courage, and she sang the anthem, right as they kicked the stool from under her. We should be proud of her."

"And Lucida?"

"Lucinda gave her life so we could escape."

Ruby nodded, the two hugged.

"Thank you for telling me the truth," said Ruby who walked off to join her militia.

Sofia turned to join the knights.

"Bartleby are you going to be alright?" asked Finegan.

"No," said Bartleby with resolve, "but neither will the enemy be."

"For Tilly!" said Finnegan, taking Bartleby's hand in his own."

"For Tilly!"

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It was beginning to rain, lightning was shooting out of the clouds over the harbor and the sea. The waves became larger and more treacherous.

The fleet of twenty ships, including one Norberg Frigate, led by the floating palace was sailing out of the harbor to meet the fifty-five that had come to invade. About two miles out to sea, they began to turn to port in order to form a Line of Battle with the floating palace in its center just behind two ships that had turned to port. The palace was facing forward so that those on its bridge could observe the battle. A flight of knights on flying horses led by Sir Bartleby flew past them, just over the level of their tallest masts. The enemy was still sailing straight toward the Enchancian Line, which meant that the Enchanicans were not exposed to most of their cannon yet.

"The enemy hasn't formed their line, yet, Sire," said Vasquez aboard the Palace.

"Open Fire," said the King.

After a set of colored flags raised atop the mast of the palace, the sides of the Enchancian ships that were facing the enemy erupted in cannonfire. Explosions registered on many of the enemy ships.

Near the center of the approaching fleet was a large Ship of the Line, atop the front of which stood Grimtrix and Greylock.

"Bring the front ranks of the fleet hard to starboard, lower the launches, keep the Endurance and the Valiant in the back ranks."

The enemy ships began their turn to starboard, returning fire on the Enchancian vessels, as Bartleby's knights flew their way through the enemy ranks looking for Greylock and Grimtrix, dodging musketballs and throwing grenades on the enemy crews.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

On the castle wall facing the sea stood hundreds of Enchancian Soldiers, including Hugo, Colonel Polyinin and Mulenik who stood behind the battalion of Russivian Republican Soldiers. The air was quiet, except for the thunder of the approaching storm, and the booming of the distant cannon.

"Men and Women of the North," shouted Mulenik, addressing the Russivians who continued to face forward over the wall, observing the lightshow of canon explosions and lightning, "their launches will be coming shortly. We've all fought for our freedom, and now we have the greater honor of fighting for the freedom of others. Stand to your duties, trust your comrades! LONG LIVE THE REPUBLIC!"

"LONG LIVE THE REPUBLIC!" the Russivian soldiers shouted in unison.

Hugo turned to see Mulenik, Mulenik caught this out of the corner of his eye, his head turned to see his cousin. Hugo gave a resolved nod, Mulenik replied in kind.

Below walls were a group of Knights on flying horses including James and Finnegan (who led them). Joining them was Princess Sofia in full armor, riding atop Minimus.

"Are you alright, Minimus?"

"Well, other than the fact that I've never been so scared in my life, yeah I'm doing great, how about you, Princess?"

"Ditto," said Soffia, patting Minimus' head gently, "Ditto."

"Remember gals and boyos," said Finnegan, "let Bartleby's crew take on their ships, we don't launch tell their first longboats get into the harbor."

Atop the wall, among a line of Enchancian militia stood Ruby Hanshaw, observing the naval battle. Her face was hard and angry. Tears came to her eyes, not of sadness but of resolve.

"_From the silver flying horses of the ever golden glades," _she sang aloud, she was immediately joined by the soldiers around her, until every Enchancian on the wall, and even Sofia and the knights below joined in. _"To the dragons on the cliff tops of the Misty Palisades…"_

"_Enchancia, Enchancia Come hear our humble call._

_Enchancia, Enchancia a land for one and all._

Mulenik who knew the song also began to sing, as did Hugo and Colonel Polynin. Most of the Russivian Soldiers who did not know the song hummed along.

The song brought Sofia's memory back to Jade's execution, but only in sadness for a moment; the Lyrics soon turned into defiance. Jade's singing of the anthem at her hanging had been the greatest gift she could have given Sofia in death. It became, for Sofia a gesture full of meaning and beauty. It communicated her fear and her desire to go home, as well as her bravery and her defiance of evil all at once. Now Sofia felt like she was carrying on Jade's song, brutally cut short by the noose, and singing it in defiance of the same evil. Unlike Jade who sang alone, Sofia was privileged to sing with her brother and her friends.

"_Where the valiant knights protect us_

_From the darkest evil spells,_

_And your wishes all come true here_

_If they're made in wishing wells…_

"_Enchancia, Enchancia, a beacon shining bright_

_Enchancia, Enchancia, where all our dreams take flight."_

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The Longboats carrying the three hundred thousand enemy troops were beginning to be lowered into the sea under fire. As the first wave of them made their way through the Enchancian Line of Battle, most of the soldiers aboard them were killed by cannonfire or Enchancian Marine Sharpshooters. Those who did make it through were attacked by those cannon aboard the Enchancian Vessels of the Line facing away from the enemy.

From the foot of the castle wall, James, Sofia and the knights observed a hand-full of the first wave of Longboats make it into the harbor.

"Boom goes the cannon," said James softly as cannon from various battery positions on the Enchancian shore fired down onto the launches as they entered the harbor.

"Hang on, Little Prince," said Finnegan, "Most of their troops will make it to shore."

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Greylock looked alarmed from the front deck of the Ship of the Line atop which he stood next to Grimtrix.

"We're losing an awful lot of people, Grimtrix!"

"Simple mathematics, Master Greylock," replied Grimtrix. "Twenty ships simply cannot hold back fifty-five for long, and if only half of our three-hundred thousand troops make it ashore, the castle defenders will still be outmatched."

Greylock nodded, still looking nervous.

"But if it makes you feel any better, launch our air support!" Grimtrix barked to the Corinthian Admiral standing next to him.

From the four enemy Ships of the Line, four squadrons of Griffins atop which sat riders carrying grenades and crossbows took off. One Squadron went after Bartleby's flying grenadiers.

"BREAK FORMATION!" Shouted Bartleby as his flying horse-mounted knights scattered, a few of them falling into the sea, struck by crossbow-borne arrows. A few of them produced crossbows of their own and fired back. Being scattered, Bartleby found himself alone. Maneuvering as fast as he could, he flew low, in between the enemy ships, arrows and musketballs passing his head. He was searching for Greylock and Grimtrix.

Another of the Squadrons started bombarding the Enchancian fleet with their grenades. One griffin flew so close to the Floating Palace bridge that Baileywick took Roland by the shoulders and threw him to the ground, as everyone scrambled for cover. The grenade exploded on the outer foredeck, blowing a few sailors into the now-choppy, stormy waters.

"I WANT MARINES IN THE CROWSNESTS OF EVERY SHIP WE'VE GOT; BRING THOSE BASTARDS DOWN!" Shouted Vasquez to one of his lieutenants who ran out of the bridge to carry the message.

The two other squadrons headed for the shore. As Sofia saw them she turned to Finnegan.

"Sir Finnegan, we have to launch now!"

"YOU HOLD THAT HORSE, LITTLE PRINCESS!" Finegan shouted back.

"GOD DAMMIT!," Shouted Sofia in return, "JAMES GET YOUR CROSSBOW."

Sofia gave Minimus a gentle kick and the horse galloped forward, taking off into the stormy sky, with James and his horse right behind her.

"DAMMIT GET BACK HERE!" Shouted Finnegan. "Ah hell with it," Finnegan produced his Crossbow, "CHARGE!"

His mounted knights all launched their flying horses into the sky. Sofia threw herself and Minimus straight into the first squadron of enemy Griffin riders, Hexes emerging from the wand Cedric gave her at rapid fire. As arrows flew past her head, she sent three Griffin riders to the harbor below.

James and Sofia together, flying in circles managed to keep one whole squadron of enemy flyers at bay as the fourth and final squadron flew past, right into Finnegan's Knights. A few flyers did manage to make it through.

Watching the flyers approach, Ruby unsheathed her saber, "MAKE READY!" She shouted.

The Enchancian Soldiers on the walls put their muskets or crossbows to their shoulders aiming straight into the air. Mulenik gave similar commands to the Russivians on the other side of the sea-facing wall, including Hugo and Colonel Polyinin, who followed suit. As the flyers drew closer, Ruby shouted "TAKE AIM!" The line of soldiers on the wall aimed their muskets or crossbows at the approaching flying grenadiers.

"COMMENCE FIRE!" Shouted Ruby.

"COMMENCE FIRE!" followed Mulenik.

The top of the wall erupted in a volley in a musket balls and arrows that took down half of the approaching grenadiers. Only four grenades were thrown, only one landed on the wall, sending four Enchancian soldiers over the side. Behind the front rank of soldiers on the wall were two ranks of reloaders. After the first shot was fired, the front rank handed their muskets back to be reloaded and were in turn handed other loaded muskets ready to fire.

"MAKE READY!" Shouted Ruby, "HOLD FIRE!"

"MAKE READY AND HOLD FIRE COMRADES!" shouted Mulenik,

"HOLD YOUR FIRE COMRADES!" shouted Hugo.

The remaining grenadiers flew off.

"They're going to come around for another pass," Shouted Ruby. 

"GOD DAMMIT!" Shouted Mulenik as he noticed something. "COLONEL HENSHAW!" he shouted at Ruby as he pointed to the harbor.

The Two Squadrons of enemy flyers were keeping Sofia and Finnegan's Knights from bombarding the approaching troops, more of them were getting through the bombardment from the shore cannon than should have been.

"WE CAN'T GET A MESSAGE TO THEM!" Ruby Replied.

"LOOKS LIKE MORE FASCISTS FOR US TO KILL!" Mulenik Shouted. "GET READY COMRADES, THE FIRST WAVE'LL BE ASHORE IN MOMENTS!"

Indeed they were, and forming ranks. Many of them carried tall ladders as they approached the Castle walls. Unfortunately the Castle was out of range from the Harbor, so firing on the landing troops was useless. Several smaller groups of the main landing force broke off from that force that was now heading for the castle.

"FUCK," Shouted Ruby, she turned to shout at Mulenik."

"THEY'RE HEADING FOR OUR SHORE BATTERIES!"

Mulenik left his post, walking down the wall to Henshaw. He pointed at one of the Batteries.

"We've got to signal General Myles' People to get back to the Castle!" He said.

"It's too late!" 

"We can't leave those people out there to die!"

"If we open up the castle now, we won't have time to refortify the gates before the enemy gets here," Shouted Ruby, "They knew their mission, Comrade!"

Calling him Comrade struck him. He nodded.

"You're right."

"Get back to your people!"

Mulenik nodded and returned to the Russivians.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The arrows and balls were getting thicker, and harder to dodge. Most of his squadron of knights were gone. Bartleby still desperately looked for Grimtrix and Grelock while throwing grenades at every target of opportunity he could find. Suddenly, at the fore of a huge Ship of the Line, he spotted two men in wizards robes. He took a very good look at the ship, flying slower for a moment which almost got him hit by an arrow speeding past his head. A ball did strike his shoulder, causing him to cry out in pain. He turned the horse around and sped back toward the Floating Palace.

The battle was now taking a huge toll on the Enchancian fleet. They had sunk ten enemy ships, but the enemy had also sunk ten of their ships, which was half of their fleet. There were more holes in the line through which the long boats could get through; adding to this, General Myles' shore batteries were now being overrun; at least two hundred and fifty thousand enemy troops would make it ashore, far more than expected.

The first enemy troops were in range of the wall.

"FIRE AT WILL!" shouted Ruby.

"FIRE AT WILL!" repeated Mulenik.

The wall and every spot in the castle where a sharpshooter could hide erupted in a massive Volley. Hundreds of enemy troops fell, but more than that reached the wall and began setting up ladders for them climb. As before, the front rank fired while the back two reloaded allowing for constant fire.

A wave of enemy troops fired up and attempted to climb that part of the wall that faced the sea, while another wave began their trek to the parts of the wall facing other directions. Ruby turned to one of her Lieutenants "GET A MESSAGE TO ALL COMMANDERS, WE'RE ABOUT TO BE SURROUNDED!"

"POUR IT INTO EM COMRADES!" shouted Mulenik, as Polyinin fired a pistol into one enemy soldier who made it to the top. Several of the wall defenders now had to expend energy and time to throw enemy soldiers off the wall."

Ruby noticed that several enemy soldiers had managed to construct a battering ram and were now approaching the main gate.

"MULENIK, REDEPLOY ONE OF YOUR COMPANIES TO REINFORCE THE SOLDIERS BELOW, THEY'RE GOING TO GET IN!" Shouted Ruby.

"COMPANY A ON ME!" shouted Mulenik, "POLYININ, YOU HAVE THE WALL! LET'S GO COMRADES!"

About eighty Russivian Soldiers followed Mulenik off the wall. A Russivian Lieutenant still standing on the wall suddenly fell to a musket-ball striking her head.

"HUGO, TAKE COMMAND OF COMPANY C!" shouted Polyinin after the officer fell.

Hugo rushed to Company C's position.

"ALRIGHT COMRADES KEEP IT TIGHT!" he shouted.

A massive explosion sent the ship immediately to the port of the floating palace to the bottom of the harbor. There were only eight ships left on the Enchancian line. A messenger entered the Palace bridge.

"Sir," he addressed Admiral Vasquez, "General Myles is dead! We've lost the shore batteries! Finnegan and his knights are being held off by a squadron of Griffins, they can't attack the Long Boats."

"The Castle can't hold off that many enemy troops!" Vasquez said to Roland in urgency, "Respectfully, Sire, it's time to consider other options!"

"What other options, Admiral?"

"Evacuate the Castle before it's surrounded! Make our stand in Dunwiddie! Look, sire," Vasques pointed to the northwest, "We can get this ship and at least a few more through that hole in their lines, sail around to the north, land, and then rendezvous with our forces in Dunwiddie before they can lay siege to it!."

"No!" ordered the King.

"Sire Listen to me," Vasquez began.

"NO YOU LISTEN TO ME!"

Roland grabbed Vasquez by both shoulders and held him against a bulkhead. Baileywick and Cedric each took one of Roland's arms but were unable to pull him off of Vasquez.

"NOTHING IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN STOPPING THEM FROM REACHING THE LAST WEAPON! THAN STOPPING THEM FROM MAKING MORE OF THEM, YOU GOT THAT! IF IT TAKES EVERYONE OUR LIVES, OUR SHIPS, OUR KINGDOM, EVERYTHING IS WORTH WE HAVE IS WORTH IT!"

Roland let go of Vasquez who looked terrified. Baileywick and Cedric let him go. Roland turned to address the officers on his bridge, all of whom were terrified.

"We wait for Bartleby, then we go after Grimtrix and Geylock ourselves, and send those bastards to be bottom of the sea! This ends tonight! Right here! Right now! Am I understood?"

The frightened officers were unsure how to respond

"YES SIRE!" came Vasquez' voice. Vasquez approached the King's side.

"WELL WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR, YOUR HEARD THE HIS MAJESTY, BACK TO YOUR STATIONS!" Vasquez shouted.

The officers returned to the chaos that had been the bridge before.

"Sorry," said Roland to Vasquez.

"Don't be, Sire, Don't be," replied Vasques.

The main hatch to the bridge opened, it was Bartleby, holding his bleeding shoulder.

"Sire!" he shouted in his high-pitched voice, "I know where they are."

Bartleby pointed out the main window of the bridge. That Ship of the Line right there.

"Give me full steam, Lieutenant, take us right to it," said Vasquez as the glass of the front window suddenly broke and a shockwave threw several people on the bridge off their feet.

When Vasquez, Roland, Bartleby, Baileywick and Cedric (who was now holding his hand to his head to stop minor bleeding) got back to their fleet, they saw an enemy frigate approaching them directly ahead on a collision course.

"VASQUEZ!" Shouted the King.

"ALL BACK FULL!" shouted Vasquez.

"TOO LATE!" Shouted Bartleby.

It was too late, the floating Palace was just too slow; the frigate would hit and sink it in moments, when the Frigate suddenly exploded. Not only it, but several enemy ships were being struck from cannon fire to their aft-port.

"What the…" began Roland.

"IT'S THE AVALORAN FLEET!" Shouted Vasquez who was leaning against where the bridge front window had been, a smile on his face.

The bridge erupted in cheers. Roland joined him at the broken window.

"How many ships!?"

"All of em I think; look, Sire!"

Indeed, there were more than the two of them could count, already in a Line-of-Battle formation, firing onto the enemy's aft-port.

"They've got em outflanked," said Vasquez, still smiling. "And outnumbered."

"Look sire," said Baileywick smiling, pointing at one of the Avaloran Ships of the Line, firing into the enemy ships, "Personal standard of Queen Elena herself, she's on that ship!"

"She owed us one," said Roland with a laugh. "That debt is more than paid off."

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Admiral Scarlett Turner stood aboard a massive Avaloran Ship of the Line. "Alright ladies and gentlemen, it's all for nothing if we can't get our troops to shore and relieve their castle, we have to clear out these ships and soften up their troops, Your majesty, are you sure I can't change your mind?"

Queen Elena was in a comfortable uniform, sitting atop Skyler the Jaquin, flanked by her Royal Sorcerer and husband, Matteo, along with Naomi Turner, Colonel Gabriel Nunez of the Royal Guard, and several others who sat atop a squadron of Jacquins.

"I go with my people, Admiral, just get those troops ashore!"

"Understood, your majesty."

Elena pulled her husband, Matteo in for a quick kiss.

"ALRIGHT LET'S GO!" Shouted Elena as she took off to shouts of "FOR VALLESTRALLA!" and "FOR AVALOR!" coming from the Jacquins and other riders who joined her in the Air. From six other Ships of the Line, a total of one hundred Jacquins joined her in the air. Half of them, led by Elena and Matteo, who rode Sklar and Luna respectively starting throwing grenades onto the enemy ships, the other half, led by Naomi Turner, flanked by Gabriel Nunez, riding Migs and Nico flew fast toward the shore.

By now, fighting on the wall had become precarious. Pockets of Enchancian Defenders had collapsed and some of the enemy had begun to move into the castle from the top of the wall. Ruby and her group of Enchancians, along with the Russivians and several other pockets of Defenders still held. When Ruby saw Elena and the Jacquins approaching and beginning to drop grenades onto attacking troops she and her fellow defenders erupted in cheers.

It was at that moment that the gate of the castle facing the ocean broke open, and in charged hundreds of enemy troops.

"FIRE!" shouted Mulenik

As a mixed firing line of Russivian and Enchancian soldiers with bayonets fixed, opened fire on the charging enemy.

"CHARGE!" shouted Mulenik as the line of bayonets advanced into the oncoming enemy. Mulenik himself was unarmed and simply directed the battle, or came to the aid of wounded soldiers.

Across the castle, gates were coming down. The Castle corridors erupted in hand-to-hand combat.

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The ship behind them blew up, struck by several Avaloran cannonballs and grenades from the air.

"It's over Grimtrix," said Greylock.

"Not yet!" Grimtrix responded. "Hard to starboard, have the Endurance and the Valiant Join us, we're retreating before the Avalorans can cut us off! Have all other ships hold here and long as they can."

"We're running while everyone else stays and dies!?" shouted Greylock.

"I HAVE A PLAN, MASTER GREYLOCK!"

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Vasquez pointed to three ships in the enemy lines who were breaking formation, including the Grimtrix and Greylock's ship of the line.

"They're running, Sire."

"Oh no you don't," said Roland, "All ahead Flank! Rudder amidship!"

The Floating Palace started right at the large bunch of enemy ships who were all now either sinking or burning, but still fighting.

"Cedric, you ready?"

"I've got this your Majesty."

"The Frigates are too fast for us," said Vasquez, "but we can outrun that Ship of the Line."

"Let's just hope they don't transfer Greylock and Grimtrix to the Frigates before we get there."

"They won't be able to before they get out of this mess, by then, they'd lose too much time making the transfer," said Vasquez. "If Greylock and Grimtrix are on that Ship, they're trapped there."

"Then it's over." Said Roland with a confident smile, "Checkmate!"


	14. Chapter 13: The Fall of Enchancia

It was now completely dark outside, except for the occasional lightning.

Elena and Matteo flew low, in between the ships. They were wreaking havoc on the remaining enemy vessels who were all now severely damaged. The Floating Palace steamed ahead through this mess after the two escaping enemy frigates and the one escaping Ship of the Line. As Elena was about to drop a grenade onto an already-burning enemy ship a musket ball suddenly passed through Skylar's head. As Elena shouted "SKYLAR!" His wings flipped up, and he fell into the sea.

Before she could register what had just happened, Elena noticed herself hanging above the sea, her arm was held by her husbands was riding a now tearful Luna. Elena looked into her husband's eyes, which communicated that he knew exactly what he was doing.

"Hang on!"

Elena looked down at the floating palace which they were approaching at a safe height and speed. Elena looked back up at her husband.

"Good luck, Mateo!"

"I love you, Elena."

Mateo let go of his wife who fell a mere ten feet onto the aft deck of the Enchancian floating palace. She was helped to her feet by an Enchancian marine who escorted her to the bridge. When she arrived, Roland embraced her.

"Queen Elena of Avalor," he said as he let her go. "You have no idea how thankful I am."

"We came as soon as we could," said Elena, "it looks like we should have come sooner. What are we doing?"

"Going after the bastards who started all of this," said Vasquez gesturing to the ship of the line that was desperately making its escape. It was about a mile ahead of them; the two frigages even further.

Cedric, whose head was now wrapped in cloth, was breathing deeply, calming himself, readying his wand.

Standing to the aft of the fleeing Ship of the Line were Grimtrix and Greylock.

"They're gaining on us," said Greylock, "If you have a plan now's the time."

"Time indeed, Master Greylock," said a very calm Grimtrix, "for the end of King Roland the Second's reign."

Grimtrix began waving his wand above his head. A blue, watery light emanated from it.

"FLUCTUS PERFIDE!" Grimtrix shouted at the top of his lungs, firing his wand into the sea.

Aboard the floating palace, those on the bridge suddenly saw a huge wave, at least five hundred feet tall, arise from the sea and charge toward them rapidly.

"No," said Bartleby with a hopeless resignation.

Vasquez pushed the Lieutenant manning the helm to the side and straightened the rudder "ALL AHEAD FULL RUDDER AMIDSHIP, WE'RE GOING RIGHT INTO IT!"

"EVERYBODY HANG ON!" shouted Roland, as everyone on the bridge grabbed whatever they could hold on to.

The Floating Palace began its journey up the huge wave. The ship was now almost vertical. It was hopeless, it could go no further. The aft towers collapsed into the sea, and as the wave moved forward, the palace capsized backwards. The wave moved on toward the shore, leaving the capsized palace sinking.

What was left of the bridge was filling up with water fast through the broken windows. Vasquez broke his neck falling onto what had been the bridge's ceiling. Bartleby floated dead, face-down in rising water. The only people left alive aboard the palace were those who had either been in the bridge or below decks, and now they were struggling to find a way out as the ship quickly filled with water.

Elena swam back through the flooded bridge to find Roland resting atop what had been a bulkhead, holding a dead Baileywick in his arms. Cedric emerged from the rising water.

"Your majesty," he said.

Elena approached them. "King Roland, I've found a way out but we have to leave now."

Roland spoke softly, "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry."

"You did nothing wrong, your majesty," said Cedric, putting his arm on Roland's shoulder, "we did what we had to do, now we have to get out of here."

"Hey!" said Elena, bringing Roland's attention to her, "It was one hell of a fight, and I'm proud, proud to have been a part of it."

Roland Sighed, "Hell of a fight."

There was a pause as they stared at him. The water had now reached what he had been sitting on.

"Let's go," he said, laying Baileywick gently into the water, before submerging himself.

Underwater he saw his crown lying resting on what has been the ceiling. He swam for it and picked it up. He then swam for Elena and Cedric who had now submerged themselves and were about to swim through the broken windows of the bridge. Roland swam to Cedric and handed him the crown. He then gave Cedric a push out the window. Cedric back paddled backwards with his one empty hand, watching Roland disappear back into the palace.

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"You just destroyed our entire fleet!" said Greylock as the wave now overtook the Avaloran Fleet and what was left of the Enchancian and enemy fleets.

"No, Master Greylock," said Grimtrix, "I just destroyed their entire flee, our entire fleet was already all but destroyed. Now, as soon that wave crashes, get us ashore."

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Cedric emerged from under water and swam toward a large, wooden, floating piece of the palace to which clung Elena. Elena and Cedric turned to see what was left of the palace go vertical and bob in the sea before sinking below the surface.

"We're about two miles from the shore!" said Elena as she pointed to the east; she figured out the direction based on where the enemy ships were, "we can make it, we have to go."

Cedric held up the crown that Roland had given him. He knew what he was supposed to do with it; what Roland wanted. He joined Elena in kicking to the east.

The wave got progressively lower as it moved toward shore, but it was high enough that the various flying riders had to climb quickly to dodge it. Three of Finnegan's Knights and several Jacquin riders and enemy Griffin riders didn't make it high enough in time. Sofia, James, Finnegan, and the only other two remaining Knights, met in the air, they were soon joined by Matteo and two other Jacquin riders. They watched as the wave crashed into the shore, destroying the harbor docks. The Castle was far enough from the shore to be unaffected by it. All of the ships who had fought in the battle, except Grimtrix's Ship of the Line and its two Frigage escorts were now wrecked.

"Our entire fleet!" said Matteo in disbelief.

"The Avaloran troops were the last hope for the castle," said James, dismissing thoughts of his father from his mind.

"We have to get the Castle," said Sofia, "We have to tell Mulenik and Ruby to get as many people out of there as they can."

"They're surrounded!," said Matteo.

"There are passages," said Sofia. "We get as many out as we can, and we make our stand in Dunwiddie."

Sofia turned to her brother, "James."

James nodded as he, Finnegan and the two other knights flew off toward the castle. Sofia turned to Matteo.

"Where's Elena?"

"Her Jacquin was killed, I dropped her on the floating palace," tears came to his eyes as he stuttered, "I… I… don't know."

"King Matteo," said Sofia, calmingly, "We can't help her now, she may have survived and if she did, she's close enough to the shore to make it."

Matteo nodded, the two of them started for the Castle.

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The castle corridors were chaos. Several hand-to-hand battles were being waged throughout them. Mulenik was in the courtyard of the castle tying a piece of cloth around Ruby's arm which had been struck by a musket-ball.

"POUR IT INTO EM COMRADES!" Shouted Hugo while he and Polyinin supervised a firing line "THE AVALORANS ARE COMING!"

"No, they're not!" shouted Sofia, as she landed Minimus; a large satchel was now tied around his neck, carrying what appeared to be a large book. James, Finnegan, and Mateo landed behind her, "The Avaloran Fleet's been destroyed."

"What!?" shouted Ruby.

"How is that possible?"

"We don't have time to explain, we have to get as many people out of the castle as we can, through the passageways. James, Finnegan, take off and get your knights to the mouth of the East Passage, make sure they don't overrun it."

"We're on it, Princess," said Finnegan, "Let's go Little Prince."

"Matteo, go with them!" shouted Sofia, "Andreas, Ruby, we'll head with all of our soldiers here to the East Passage and pickup any stragglers we find along the way, let's get going!"

Sofia got off of Minimus.

"Minimus, fly to Dunwiddie, meet me there!"

"Will do, Princess," said Minimus as he took off.

Polyinin shouted, "RETREAT!"

The mass of soldiers headed deeper into the castle, where Sofia led them into a secret passage. About three hundred Russivian and Enchancian soldiers entered the passage. Sofia, Hugo, Ruby, Mulenik, and Polyinin stood at the entrance of the passage waving soldiers into it. A volley erupted from behind them and several Enchancians fell along with Polyinin with a shout of "AAAAAH."

Mulenik came to Polyinin's side, "Mishka!"

Mulenik took Polyinin's hand, holding it tightly.

"Get em out of here, sir," Polyinin struggled to say… "Close the passage! Go!"

There was a pause.

"God bless you my friend," said Polyinin as his eyes rolled back and he stopped breathing.

"God bless you, Mishka!"

Mulenik let go of Polyinin's hand, and rushed to the entrance of the passageway as another volley of balls hit around him.

"Time to go," he said to Sofia.

Sofia, Hugo, Ruby, and Mulenik entered the passageway and ran about thirty feet before Sofia turned around, raised Cedric's wand and with a wave of it, caused the entrance to the passageway to collapse.

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At the shore where the harbor docks used to stand, a small launch landed; Greylock and Grimtrix got out along with several Corinthian and Wei Ling sailors. Grimtrix carried the leather case in which were the instructions on building Nuclear Weapons.

A Corinthian General approached them with a salute.

"Sir, the last pockets of resistance in the castle are crumbling."

"Good," said Grimtrix, "Burn it down!"

"Master Grimtrix, it's a potentially valuable fortified position," said Greylock.

Grimtrix ignored him and nodded to the General, "Burn it down, now."

The General saluted and left.

Grimtrix walked along the shore, Greylock walking to catch up.

"We should evacuate our soldiers before we do so."

"Of course."

"It's not as if we have an abundance left."

"We have everything we need, now I want to enjoy this victory."

"A victory, maybe," said Greylock, "but a costly one, half our troops, all our ships."

Grimtrix set the leather case on the ground and approached Greylock. He placed his hand gently on Greylock's shoulder with a smile.

"It's going to be alright, my friend."

Grimtrix quickly pulled greylock into a dagger which he held in his other hand. Greylock let out a shout, his expression was one of shock.

"I'm sorry, my friend," said Grimtrix as he twisted the knife. Greylock let out another shout, "but you lost perspective. Don't worry, the dream of magical rule lives with me."

Grimtrix removed the dagger and stepped back as greylock fell to the ground. Grimtrix gave a disgusted look as Greylock laid on the ground still struggling to breathe. Grimtrix picked up the leather case and walked away. He was met by a pair of Corinthian Sailors with muskets.

"Put that pathetic creature out of his misery."

The two sailors nodded, marched to Greylock and fired two musketballs into his head. Grimtrix ignored this as he walked forward, watching the castle as it now began to burn.

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James, Finnegan, and two other Knights helped about three hundred Enchancian and Russivian soldiers climb out of the hole that was the mouth of the East Passage, a hole in the woods near Dunwiddie. After all the survivors were out of the hole, Ruby climbed out, followed by Hugo, followed by Mulenik, followed by Sofia. James took Sofia into an embrace. He then threw his arms around Ruby who gave him a kiss.

"Some other stragglers have come in from the castle, some from the sea, Avalorans mostly, We're sending them to Dunwiddie," said James.

"I'll call up the reserve militia," said Ruby, "we've got about twenty thousand left; we need to start fortifying Dunwiddie, we'll dig trenches, we can hold em off for a while at least."

The group walked to Dunwiddie. In the town square, gathered thousands of people, including several Avaloran and Enchancian Soldiers and Sailors wrapped in towels; Gabriel Nunez, Naomi Turner, their Jacquins, and Matteo also gathered. When they saw Prince James, everyone approached and began asking questions.

"Wait Wait Wait!" said James. "Hang on, we don't know a lot yet, just that we lost the battle, and they're burning the Castle,"

"But how many survived?" came one voice.

"What about the fleet?"

"What about King Roland?"

"Everyone listen," said James. "We have to fortify the town, I need every able bodied citizen to dig trenches, and get ready for an attack."

"James," said Sofia gesturing behind him.

Elena and Cedric approached slowly. Matteo ran into Elena who wrapped her arms around him. Cedric kept moving slowly toward James. Tears were streaming down his cheeks. He held King Roland's crown in both hands.

James and Sofia's heart sank as they knew exactly what this meant.

Cedric approached James with the crown and slowly set the crown atop James' head, after which, he knelt, his face bowed to the ground. Slowly, the others gathered knelt as well. James felt more terrified than he'd ever felt as he realized exactly what was happening. He'd always looked to Sofia for support, she and Hugo were also kneeling. He looked to Finnegan who, along with the other Knights, was now kneeling as well.

Unable to kneel because of his Political Views, Mulenik stood to attention and saluted, as did the gathered Russivian Soldiers. Those who had Muskets held them at the "Present Arms" position, those who didn't lifted their hands in a salute. James slowly turned to see the circle of people surrounding him and kneeling. Tears streamed down his cheeks, he didn't know what to do.

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About an hour later, James sat in an easy chair in a small room in the Dunwiddie town hall, he had removed the crown and was now holding it in one of his hands, a look of shock on his face. Ruby was sitting next to him, holding his hand. Sofia (who now had the same satchel that had been around Minimus' neck around her shoulder), Hugo, Mulenik, and Cedric were also gathered in the small room, as was Elena, who was holding Matteo's hand, and Naomi Turner and Gabriel Nunez who themselves were holding hands. A fire was lit. Everyone was silent before Sofia spoke.

"We have work to do," she began, "And we have to move fast before they lay siege. Cedric, I need you and Andreas to accompany me back to the Library, or what's left of it anyways."

Sofia took of the satchel and set the large three-ring book contained therein on a table. "I went back for this before the Castle fell, Cedric, I need you to translate it."

Cedric looked at it, "It's in English, one of the ancient languages."

"Can you do it?"

"Yes, but I need time."

"We have to go into hiding, this book is the key, I think," she said, "the key to saving us all."

She turned to her brother.

"James, I need you give us time, as long as you can hold out, it will mean they'll commit most of their troops to trying to break the siege instead of looking for the library."

James nodded, still silent and in shock.

"Elena, you should go, find your way back to Avalor, without your fleet, Avalor will be vulnerable; head for Khaldoun, you should be able to charter a ship back from there.."

Elena nodded, she walked to Sofia and the two embraced.

"I"m sorry," said Elena, "sorry we couldn't turn the tide."

"You've given so much for us," said Sofia, "You're arrival delayed their victory, and gave us a fighting chance, now you have to go, before we're surrounded."

The two hugged one more time before Elena led the Avalorans out of the room.

"I'm coming with you, Sofia," said Hugo.

"No!" Said Sofia.

"Sofia!" Hugo Protested.

"Hugo, what's left of the Russivian battalion needs you here," Sofia explained. "The only reason I'm taking Andreas and Cedric is because they can be helpful in what we have to do, you can't, but you _can_ help here."

The two embraced, giving each other a brief kiss before Sofia rested her head on Hugo's shoulders. James and Ruby rose to meet Sofia before she left. Sofia gave James a hug.

"I… I don't know what to do." said James as they embraced.

Sofia released him. "You will," she kissed him on his forehead.

Sofia then hugged Ruby, "take care of my brother."

"I will," said Ruby as the two of them released.

"You know when the two of you get married, you'll be queen," said Sofia with a smile, "bet you never saw that coming."

Ruby and Sofia shared a tearful laugh.

"If I don't make it back," said Sofia. "I want you to go to Arendelle and look for Jade and Lucinda; bring them home."

Ruby nodded. Sofia turned to Mulenik and Cedric.

"It's time to go."

Both of them nodded. Mulenik turned to Hugo.

"Hugo, you better go see to the Russivians, I think you just became their commander."

"I think I'm beginning to prefer that to being their 'King,' Said Hugo.

Mulenik smiled as Hugo turned to leave. Hugo stopped and suddenly turned to face Mulenik.

"Hey cousin," said Hugo. He then extended his right arm into the air with a closed fist, "Long live the Republic!"

Mulenik bowed and returned the salute, "Long live the Republic."

After Hugo left, Sofia, Cedric, and Mulenik left as well, leaving James and Ruby alone together.

"I don't think I've asked this yet," said James, "but will you marry me; as soon as possible that is?"

Ruby looked shocked.

"Odd moment for a proposal."

"Well, we're all probably about to die," said James, "I guess we better start living while we can."

Ruby smiled.

"Is that a yes."

Ruby nodded, the two of them kissed. James picked up Ruby who was slightly heavier than normal as she was still in her armor and spun her around.

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Several hours later, the Sun now arisen, Sofia, Cedric, and Mulenik stood atop a hill in a clearing in the forest looking back at Dunwiddie. They could see the enemy soldiers moving in to encircle the town. Sofia then turned to Cedric and Mulenik.

"I'm glad you're with me," she said, "both of you."

Both of them smiled. The three of them continued their hike deeper into the woods.


	15. Chapter 14: The Siege of Dunwiddie

Queen Ruby of Enchancia sat in what was left of her childhood home, a blanket wrapped around her, writing in her diary.

"_I have decided to begin writing a journal of everything that is taking place so that, perhaps if someone finds it, they might come to understand, insofar as it is possible, what has happened here. It has been two months since the Castle fell and Princess Sofia left Dunwiddie. We have heard nothing from her in that time. It was mid-fall then, now it is early winter._

"_The snows came early this year, and covered our town in a cold, white blanket. To celebrate Wassalia, extra rations were distributed to the people, double to the soldiers. Just about everyone has become a soldier, even my mother has joined them in the trenches, except for Children and the very-elderly. Still, we've only managed to mobilize fifty-thousand to take on a force more than twice that. _

"_Dunwiddie, or rather what is left of it, is surrounded. Every day the enemy cannon shell us, and the elderly lead the children into a cellar at the old Bakery that we use as a shelter. Every day the enemy charges our trenches somewhere on the perimeter._

"_My husband, James and I spend most of our time in the trenches with the people. We try to fight at every attack of the enemy. They call us the King and Queen of Enchancia, but the circle surrounding this town is just under a mile in diameter. That is all that is left of our once proud kingdom._

"_All of the trees that grew in this town are gone; the people now cannibalize what's left of their homes to burn during the cold nights; come spring there won't be anything left standing in this town, if any of us are left alive to begin with. Rations are now at one thousand calories per day. James and I eat only what the people eat. It's hard to maintain the energy needed to fight the enemy, let alone write; I'm so tired, but I cannot sleep._

"_Not a day goes by where we don't have a funeral service for those who die. At least as many civilians are dying of malnutrition or sickness as soldiers who are killed in the trenches. The greatest indignity, though, is that to prevent the spread of disease, their bodies have to be burned. These grim funeral pyres have lit up nearly every night sky since Sofia left._

"_Our one hope is Sofia and that book she had from the Library; but I do not know how much longer can we wait?"_

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A bearded James woke up covered in a thick blanket atop a small pillow and wooden planking that covered the bottom of the trench; snow had built up on his sides. Hugo and the Russivians were awake, eating some dry bread. James lifted himself up and lead against the wooden wall of the trench behind him. He sighed and picked up his musket which had been lying next to him, he was still tired and very hungry, it was another day.

A boy of about ten or eleven pushed a wheelbarrow full of musketballs from another end of the trench.

"Ammunition, your Majesty," said the boy.

"Thank you, Robert," said James as he pulled a handful of musket balls out of the barrow. The boy moved on to Hugo, who shook his head. The boy moved on to the Russivians of whom, minus Hugo, there were only seventy left.

Hugo turned to James, "How the hell is he old enough to fight?"

"There's no one else left," James responded.

A scream was heard in the air.

"INCOMING!" came a voice as large explosions pelted the ground outside of the trench. The explosions kept up for several minutes. Dodging them, Ruby rolled herself and her musket into the Trench next to James, then threw herself to the other wall, sticking her head just above to observe the enemy's movements. All she could see was trees.

"No one's advancing yet," said James. He was about ten feet away from Ruby and Hugo when a shell hit the floor of the trench in front of him. The shock threw him back another ten feet. The next thing he noticed was blackness and silence as a large pile of soil, thrown up from the explosion landed on him.

He wasn't sure how long he was under the soil, but he took a large gasp for air as Ruby pulled him out of the pile of dirt. He could feel soil still in his ears. His eyes were irritated by it.

The shelling had stopped. Judging by the damage to the trench and the soil around, this had been a particularly bad one The young boy whose weelbarrow had now been buried under a similar amount of soil stuck his head out of the trench. In the distance yelling could be heard, along with the rhythmic beat of drums. A Corinthian Republican flag could be made out advancing toward the trench accompanied by a line of soldiers with fixed bayonets. They were running as fast as they could.

"Here they come!" shouted Hugo.

Everyone in the trench, including James, Hugo, and Ruby fixed bayonets and aimed their muskets at the oncoming soldiers. When they got close enough someone yelled "fire," and a volley emerged from the trench. After which those in the trench counter-charged the onslaught. Ruby ran straight into a Corinthian Soldier, bayonetting him in the chest, she then produced one pistol and fired at another, killing him, then another pistol, firing it at an oncoming female soldier, sending her screaming to the ground.

James' musket was crossed with that of a Corinthian Sergeant. The Sergeant had slung his musket in an overcut downward, butt-first. James blocked his blow by holding his musket horizontally in front of him. The Corinthian was pressing his musket down hard against James who was pressing back. Finally James swerved out of the stalemate; the Corinthian's musket but hit the ground allowing James to recover and bayonet him in the stomach.

James noticed that the young boy who had brought the wheelbarrow had found a musket and was swinging it hard at advancing Corinthians when a ball hit in the Chest.

"ROBERT" shouted James as he made his way over to the boy.

A Corinthian private then drove his bayonet into Robert's stomach. The boy screamed loudly. A ball from James' pistol sent the private to the ground. James grabbed Robert and pulled him into the trench still screaming. An Enchancian Firing line from behind the trench, who had arrived from another section of the trench, fired a volley into the mass of hand-to-hand combat, striking Ruby in the left hand hand as she swung her musket at an advancing Corinthian, luckily for her, this Corinthian was himself hit in the chest by a ball from he volley. The volley sent the advancing Corinthians retreating.

The Russivians and Enchancians, along with Hugo and a now hand-wounded Ruby made their way back to the trench. Except for Robert's screaming, there was silence.

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A tent stood in the central square of Dunwiddie as a makeshift hospital. Low on supplies, there was little that could be done for most of the critically injured except first aid and keeping them warm. King James sat beside the cot-side of the wounded boy. James found out he was ten years old and he saw a young version of himself in the boy. The boy was half-conscious, struggling to breathe.

Into the tent walked Ruby. She came and held James' hand.

The boy started to shake and thrash. A nurse came and joined James in holding him down. Ruby held the boy's hand as he continued to violently thrash, choking sounds came from his mouth. As suddenly as he started, he stopped. He was no longer breathing. The nurse closed his eyes.

"I'm sorry your majesties," said the nurse, "we have to move him, we need the cot."

There was a pause as Ruby took James' hand, looking down at the boy as the nurse prepared his body to be removed.

"He was ten years old," said James dejectedly.

"I'm sorry," said Ruby.


	16. Chapter 15: The Orphanage

Sofia and Hugo lay in bed together. Sofia faced to her left, and Hugo cuddled from behind, his arms wrapped around her chest. It was summer in Russivia; the castle was warm, they didn't even need blankets. Her stomach was huge, and each day she could feel the little prince or princess kicking harder. As she faced out the window that overlooked the castle courtyard she sighed deeply. She was happy.

Again with the damn white light and burning. It was becoming more annoying than terrifying. She woke up in a much smaller room with a much smaller bed. This time she woke up without a gasp. She had become used to these nightmares. It was morning, the sun was not quite up yet but the sky was turning to light blue. She got up and wrapped her blanket around her, it was freezing.

Looking out the window she could see the same woods she saw eight years ago on that First Wassalia that her family spent together after her mother married King Roland. This was the same house that Rolland sought shelter in. The same family was now sheltering Sofia, Cedric, and Andreas Mulenik.

The two children had left home; where they were now, their parents did not know. But as she turned from the window she saw the same group of nine children that she woke up to every morning: five boys and four girls, sharing three small beds. They had been there since the war started two months ago. The night the castle fell they each lost their parents, and some of them lost even more.

Sofia walked down to the hearth: the woman of the house had already lit the fire. She warmed herself by it for a few moments. She noticed Cedric sitting at the table in the front room, the three-ring-bound book sat atop the table, as did a small journal in which he wrote. A cold cup of coffee sat next to the two books. The woman of the house handed Sofia a steaming cup of coffee. Though they could not see the sun as the day would be cloudy, it was now light outside.

"Thank you Mrs. Graham."

"Your welcome princess."

Sofia walked to the front window; the Wassalia tree still stood to it's right. Outside she saw Mulenik chopping wood. He knew enough about ancient history to be useful to their mission, but he didn't know how to translate ancient languages so he busied himself by helping out the Grahams around the house, even helping them look after the nine orphans.

Sofia approached Cedric.

"I know what you're going to ask, Princess, so just don't," said Cedric, annoyed.

"People are dying, Cedric."

"You don't think I know that!" The Sorcerer snapped. "I've been working night and day since we got here, I'll be finished when I'm finished!"

Sofia nodded, wrapped the blanket around her tightly and went out the front door.

CHOP!

Minimus was grazing in the front yard of the house. Sofia approached him with a pet.

"Hello Princess, sleep alright?" The horse said.

Sofia shrugged

"Good as ever I guess."

Mulenik laid another log atop the stump.

"I really wish I could talk to animals the way you do," said Mulenik

CHOP!

"I'm impressed that you can do that," said Sofia, gesturing to the axe.

"With my hands the way they are?" Mulenik replied. "Eh, this is just letting gravity do the work. It's only when I do things with my hands that require concentration. It's why I build model ships; it's a discipline, if I can let myself go from having to control every detail, then the ship comes together alright. If I have to be in control of everything, I screw it up. Just can't seem to fire a musket or pistol worth a damn, never could."

Sofia sat down on a log.

"Sorry, you probably don't want to hear this," said Mulenik, "sorry about the life story."

"It's alright," said Sofia, sipping her coffee, "I like hearing stories. I am the storykeeper, or so they tell me."

Mulenik Smiled. CHOP!

"You know I wanted to be sailor. Ever since I was a kid, reading old swashbuckler novels and such. I learned everything I could, read everything I could get my hands on about ships. But as you know, Russivia's landlocked, so they made me a soldier."

Mulenik paused. He he was looking directly at a clump of snow on the ground; though he seemed to be looking beyond it, as if he was seeing what he was talking about. Sofia continued sipping her coffee.

"I was an embarrassment to my father and my uncle," he continued. "My skills with a saber were… okay… not great, but I couldn't hit a target with a musket, pistol or crossbow to save my life. So they, uh, brought the whip."

Sofia was now looking at him with empathy, he kept looking down at the clump of snow.

"They put me in front of a target with a musket, a pistol, and crossbow, and they said that every time I missed the target, I would receive one lashing, and that we would continue until I hit center with all three weapons. Well, I never did. Still have the scars. When a young General named Anna Polyinnina discovered that I had brain, I became an analyst; the rest is history."

"Polyinnina?" asked Sofia.

"Colonel Polyinnin's mother," said Mulenik, "she was killed during the Revolution. Sadly, she was fighting for the Royalists."

"Was that why you joined the Republicans?" asked Sofia, "Because they hurt you?"

Mulenik set a log back on the stump. CHOP!

"I think there are a lot of reasons why we do the things we do," he said. "Philosophically, I would say no; Philosophically, I would say that I joined the Republicans because I was persuaded by their arguments and agreed with their ideology. Psychologically…" Mulenik shrugged. "I'd say there's a good chance that it was a factor, yes."

CHOP!

"Do you think Enchancia should be a Republic?"

CHOP!

"Popular Sovereignty, Princess," Mulenik answered, "I think Enchancia should be whatever its people want it to be. Either way, what Grimtrix and Greylock want isn't Republicanism."

CHOP!

"You used to think so, didn't you?" Sofia wasn't sure why she asked this, she wasn't trying to shame Mulenik, but his expression was one of shame.

CHOP!

"I was wrong," he said. "What they want is similar to what some of the ancients wanted. Those ancients called themselves Fascists. Fascism as an ideology, from what we know about it, can be quite complicated and interesting, but at the end of the day, it boils down to vile notion that Might is Right. I have no use for that view."

CHOP!

Sofia sipped coffee in silence for a minute or so. Mulenik kept chopping.

"Can I ask you a question?" asked Sofia.

CHOP!

"You just did."

"CHOP!"

"Were you and Lucinda Happy together?"

CHOP! Mulenik stopped and smiled.

"I certainly was," He paused again looking at a fixed point beyond Sofia, but somehow seeming to look beyond this point, to where he was seeing what he was remembering. His face bore a least-little smile.

"There were times when I had trouble breathing around her; and when she said she would marry me, I felt so… elated… I was so unworthy of her."

Mulenik set another log atop the stump CHOP!

"You don't think she was happy?" asked Sofia.

Mulenik shrugged, "I think she was bored; the war was over, we were settling down. She was so young, ten years younger than me; we got married just after she turned seventeen."

CHOP!

Mulenik continued, "I was tired of war, I just wanted to settle down and…" CHOP! "Well, do this actually, but not her…"

Sofia began to smile, he was describing the young witch she remembered.

"...she had no patience, she always wanted to rush out and seize the day…"

CHOP!

Sofia laughed.

"...Part of me thinks that, after three months of marriage, she ran off to Arendelle to get away from me, from the simple life I wanted to lead."

"I don't think so," said Sofia. "I could see it in her eyes when we were in Arendelle; she loved you, very much."

CHOP!

Mulenik Nodded.

"One thing's sure," he said, "I don't think people should get married that young. Holdover from Monarchical Societies, getting married at sixteen, seventeen, eighteen, too young."

"Are Hugo and I too young."

CHOP!

Mulenik smiled, "Hugo might be; you were born were born older."

CHOP!

"What was it like, growing up with him."

CHOP!

"His brother made his life a living hell," Mulenik replied. "He always had to compete for everything. I think he was unique, intellectual, wanted to do different things but, his father had certain ideas about what a man should be, and Hugo was forced to conform. He and I weren't really that close, I watched him for my uncle a few times, and I observed his and his behavior and that of his brother, Axel. But, I was eleven years older than Hugo, so we didn't have a lot in common. Though I suspect in another life we might have."

CHOP!

"He's a good person," said Mulenik, "He really is, always was."

Mulenik set the axe down against the stump and sat down on a log.

"He used to make fun of me when we were children at school together." said Sofia.

"That was his brother's influence on him, and his dad's."

"You really didn't like King Garrick did you?"

"There was no love lost between us, no," said Mulenik, "Oh, I don't think he was maliciously evil, but I do think he was blinded by a toxic ideology that induces people to narcissism and extreme masculinity."

The two sat in silence for another minute. Sofia sipped her coffee.

"Are you and Hugo happy?" asked Mulenik.

"When we can be together, yes," said Sofia.

There was another pause.

"Do you know how many times we've slept together?" asked Sofia, "and I don't mean 'in the same bed,' I mean 'made love.'"

Mulenik gave her an odd look.

"I know you may not want to hear this, I don't even know what I'm confiding in you…"

"You're right I'd prefer not to hear it."

"I just, have to talk it through."

"If you must."

"Four," said Sofia. "We've made love four times in going on three months of marriage. Once before we got married, twice on the schooner, and once in that damn tent in Arendelle. Ground was frozen solid, I'll never do that again!"

Mulenik gave a silent chuckle.

"I enjoyed it every time; even the first time," said Sofia "I really enjoy being close to him, but the thing is, I don't think we're going to be able to be that close again. I think I'm going to die."

Mulenik didn't try to convince her that she was wrong. He wasn't going to cheapen her concerns by dismissing them. Instead he remained silent. She wasn't crying, she didn't look scared or even sad as such.

"What do you think?" she asked.

Mulenik took a deep breath, "I think it's important to invite yourself to be hopeful."

"It's something the First Storykeeper told me when this all began, he said that my story already had a happy ending, and that I am the harbinger of the end of history."

There was a pause.

"That could mean any number of things," Mulenik said.

"I know but I keep coming back to one inescapable conclusion," she paused, "I am going to die."

"How does believing you're going to die make you feel?"

"Angry!" said Sofia. "Not sad, not afraid, angry! Why? Why can't I make love to my husband? Why can't I have children with him? Why do I have to be the Storykeeper? The Protector of the Ever Realm? Why can't I just have a life?"

She was staring down into the snow, she was not lying, her face was very angry. She was not crying, she was in perfect control of herself.

"I know it's selfish when so many are dying," said Sofia.

Mulenik sighed, "'Think not with thyself that thou shalt escape in the king's house, more than anyone else, for if thou altogether holdest thy peace at this time, then shall... deliverance arise from another place, but thou and thy father's house shall be destroyed, and who knoweth whether thou art come into the kingdom for such a time as this.'"

"What's that from?" asked Sofia.

"Same book, or rather the same collection of books that 'knowledge puffs up, love builds up' comes from," Replied Mulenk. "In this case, it's a story about a Queen who marries a powerful king. One of the king's servants hates the Queen's people, and so he plans a Genocide against them. And the Queen has to decide whether she's going to hide and save herself, or if she's going to risk her life and save her people; of course if she stays silent, the odds are she's probably going to be killed anyways."

"How does it end?"

"She saves her people, and lives happily ever after," said Mulenik. "I guess she was one of the lucky ones."

Sofia nodded.

"With everything you've done, Sofia," said Mulenik, "I think you've earned the right to be selfish if you want to be. If you want to walk away from all of this, I have faith that, while it may take longer, the moral order of the universe is that love wins over selfishness and indifference; it's not about you, it doesn't have to all depend on you. The question is: when the time comes to make the choice, can you be at peace with yourself? Can you say 'I fought the good fight, I finished my course, I kept the faith?'"

Sofia remembered the last bit from what the First Storykeeper told her months earlier before he destroyed the library.

"I really wish you'd stop quoting from that book,"

Mulenik laughed "It does have a penchant for making people uncomfortable doesn't it."

Sofia nodded.

A squirrel suddenly came up to Sofia.

"Princess," the animal said, "Soldier are coming this way."

"We have to go now!" Said Sofia standing, "Maximus get out of sight."

"Right away, Princess."

"What is it?" asked Mulenik, following Sofia into the house.

"Soldiers are on their way," said Sofia to Mr. and Mrs. Graham. The nine children had gathered around their table for breakfast.

"Into the crawlspace, all of you!" said Mrs. Graham.

Cedric picked up the book and his journal. Cedric, Sofia, and Mulenik climbed down under the floorboard through a trapdoor into a large but very short crawlspace. The three of them crawled on their stomachs in the cold, hard dir. There was a loud knock at the door. Sofia rolled onto her back and found a grate through the floor, just under where the door stood.

Mrs. Graham opened the door. The man who stared at her from the other side shocked Sofia, it was Constable/General Myles, whom she thought to be dead, the man who used to serve as her father's head of security. He wore what appeared to be a variant of an Enchancian Military Uniform, it was slightly different than his old one.

"Mrs. Graham," said Myles as he walked in uninvited.

A woman followed him whom Sofia also recognized as the former Royal inventor, Gwen. Gwen was dressed in a variant of the same uniform. Following her, were two Wei Ling Soldiers with muskets.

"Mr. and Mrs. Graham," Myles said, "We believe that there are Royalist fugitives in this area. Three in particular. Have you seen the former Princess Sofia of Enchancia, or Cedric the former Sorcerer or the foreign agent, Andreas Mulenik?"

Mr. Graham shook his head, "no Royalists here."

"Really?" said Myles.

Sofia's anger rose within her chest. Myles had been one of her father's most faithful servants, and Gwen had been her friend.

"Is that your position, Mrs. Graham?" asked Myles.

"That's right."

Myles sighed, "I don't believe you, we've spotted the horse, Minimus in these woods."

"Probably been running wild since castle fell," said Mrs. Graham, "poor, starving thing."

"He looked well-fed enough," said Myles. "And you've harbored the Royals before."

"As I recall, we harbored you too that night, Constable," said Mr. Graham who ignored him and faced the children.

"Children, do any of you know where the princess is?"

The children were silent.

"Now boys and girls," said Myles, "I am a policeman, and it is always wrong to lie to a policeman, you know that, now have you seen anyone around here who shouldn't be?"

The children were silent again. Gwen walked back toward the door looking ashamedly downward; as she came upon the grate she stopped. She could see Sofia. Sofia's heart stopped. Gwen looked panicked for a movement, but said nothing and moved on out the door.

"I'm going to give you all one chance," said Myles. "If you are hiding them, and you tell me now, there will be a substantial reward in food for your family and this… orphanage. If however, you persist in your denial and I find out that you are lying, you will both hang, Mr. and Mrs. Graham, and these children will become urchins."

The door opened again and in walked Gwen with what appeared to be a metallic spider.

"I'm not sure if you've had the honor of meeting her who was the Royal inventor but now is the head of scientific and engineering research for the Republic of Enchancia," said Myles, "Colonel Gwen Anderson, I believe you have something to show these fine people."

"Yes," Gwen seemed very nervous, "this Gizmo is designed to find hidden spaces and sound an alarm when it comes across human flesh."

Gwen set it on the ground and wound it up. The device walked around the floor of the home, as it came upon the grate it gave off a spark, and then emanated smoke.

"Dammit!" shouted Gwen.

"What is it Colonel," said Myles annoyed.

Gwen came to the gizmo, which put her over the grate. She gave Sofia a nervous look, and then a wink.

Sofia nodded.

"I'm sorry, General, I still have to work out the kinks I guess."

"I sincerely hope, for the sake of your continued health that these kinks will be worked out soon."

Gwen nodded, terrified.

Myles turned to the two soldiers.

"Tear the place apart."

It was half-an-hour before Myles, Gwen, and the soldiers left. In their wake the house a was in a shambles. They overturned everything they could get their hands on, but somehow missed the grate and the trap door leading into the crawlspace. After another couple of hours to be safe, the Grahams let the now freezing Sofia, Cedric, and Mulenik up into the home.

"Bastard, that bastard," said Sofia.

"I never would have believed that he would have betrayed us," said Mrs. Graham.

"And Gwen," said Cedric, "your friend."

"We don't have to worry about Gwen," said Sofia.

"How do you know?" asked Mulenik.

"Because she saw me," said Sofia, "and if she wanted to turn us in she would have. In any case, we can't stay here, we're putting these people at risk."

"Where else are we going to go?" asked Cedric, "I'm not done with the translation."

"There's a place under where the Library used to be, it's not where the weapon is but it's sort of an… atrium I guess, I know where it is and we don't need the translation to get it. As long as they don't find it, you'll be able to continue your work; and if they do find it, whether or not we're there, it's all over."

"We can't venture out now," said Cedric, "we'd be caught!"

"We'll be caught if we stay here."

There was a knock at the door as loud as those that came before. Mr. Graham led the three back into the crawlspace while Mrs. Graham opened the door. In walked Gwen…

"Where is she, I know she's here, where is she?"

"What are you talking about?" asked Mrs. Graham.

"You don't have to be afraid, but I need to see her," protested Gwen.

"Gwen!" Said Sofia, crawling out of the crawlspace.

The two hugged.

"Princess, our soldiers are all over the place, I can't keep them away forever, you have to leave!"

"Grimtrix's soldiers?" asked Cedric.

"No, they're too busy trying to break the siege in Dunwiddie, I'm talking about the Republic," said Gwen, "The Enchancian Republic, it was set up by Grimtrix, it's made up of disgruntled Enchancians, or people whom he threatened. My father is the Prime Minister, but you have to go, you have to leave!"

"Go where?" asked Sofia.

"Anywhere, just get out of the country," said Gwen, "If you're captured…"

A tear came to Gwen's eyes.

"Gwen," said Sofia calmly, "I'm not leaving until after my mission is finished."

Gwen sighed, "I can't protect you, I won't tell them about you, but I can't protect you. If we come back, I can't guarantee they won't find you."

"Why are you working for them, Gwen?" asked Sofia. "Did they threaten you?"

Gwen paused for a second. She looked down, ashamed.

"You can't imagine what it's been like," said Gwen. "When you abandoned the castle, most of us were left inside. Some of us stayed inside and burned with it. Those of us who made it out… they executed anyone who had been at arms, and half the staff."

"I'm sorry," said Sofia.

"They promised the rest of us that after they had finished off the Royalists in Dunwiddie, we'd be left alone as long as we started a new government so…"

"You became a collaborator," said Mulenik in disgust.

"I did what I had to do to survive," Gwen Protested.

"Oh Gwen," said Sofia, shaking her head in disappointment.

"What was I, what were we supposed to do!?"

"Fight back!" said Mulenik.

"Easy for you to say," said Gwen.

"If you want to compare notes on who's suffered more at the hands of tyrants, we can do that," said Mulenik, "you may have prolonged your miserable, pathetic existence for a while, but you're already dead!"

"Andreas!" shouted Sofia.

Mulenik didn't back down from his anger, but he stopped talking.

"Gwen," said Sofia softly, "you always have a choice to make. I believe that when the time comes, you'll make the right one."

Gwen's look of shame overwhelmed every part of her body. She turned around in tears and ran out the door away from the disapproval of everyone in the house.

"We have to leave," said Sofia, "right now!"


	17. Chapter 16: The Enemy

General Kazinstakas of the Corinthian Republic slumped over his desk in a run-down shack, reading the casualty list from the recent attack. "It was simple math," Grimtrix told him before the war began, "even if we lose half of our troops, we can still beat them."

It was simple math. They started out with three hundred thousand, six hundred troops, now they were down to less than sixty-thousand to occupy the entire country of Enchancia. And what came next? What about the future of the Revolution? It was a miracle that the Freezenberg rebels kept the massive Russivian Army occupied, otherwise they could march a hundred and fifty thousand troops to Enchancia and it would all be over.

It all came down to the weapon, though, or so Grimtrix kept reminding him. They didn't need numbers, they had the weapon. They just need to find it and use it in Enchancia, and then once they demonstrated proof that they could build more weapons, no one would ever dare oppose them again.

Kazinstakas was finding this very hard to believe. Even with Wei Ling's troops, he had lost his entire navy and was down to a mere 20% of his original army. The Enchancian Republicans were pathetic, they couldn't mobilize a thousand people to hunt for Royalist fugitives, let alone help Kazinstakas break a siege. Without the Last Weapon, the situation was hopeless. They outnumbered King James' forces but only by about fifteen thousand troops or so. They could probably break the siege and overrun Dunwiddie with a massive final attack, committing everyone they had to one concentrated section of the trench system but it would destroy them; they'd never be able to occupy the country afterwards.

Then what would come next for the revolution? Word came that Queen Elena had returned to Avalor and had managed to mobilize a fleet of twenty civilian ships and two-hundred thousand troops. The Russivian and Norberg so-called "Republican" traitors were supporting the Royalists. Both sides in the Arendelle civil war were all but destroyed, the remaining Republicans there had betrayed Grimtrix, and that country was in no position to do anything.

He kept coming to one inescapable conclusion: every Republican group who had supported the Order of the Wand had come to disaster, every Republican group who had not, still survived. But those who didn't support Grimtrix were simply unwilling to do what had to be done to bring the revolution to its success. The doctrine of popular sovereignty would destroy the revolution; it was all or nothing: world Republic, or world Monarchy. They had to find the weapon, they had to bring their plan to completion, otherwise everything would have all been in vain.

Kazinstakas had to stay the course. The enemy believed he had twice as many troops as he actually did. He had to keep them thinking that.

Grimtrix entered the room, accompanied by Wei Ling soldiers whom he used as a personal guard, and the Enchancian collaborators Myles and Gwen Anderson.

"General Kazinstakas," Grimtrix began, "we believe we have confirmation that the fugitive former Princess Sofia, Cedric the Sorcerer, and the traitor, Mulenik are at large outside of the siege line. We believe they may be headed to the library. I want you to redeploy another five thousand troops to search for them."

"That would leave me with fifty-three thousand troops to continue the siege," said Kazinstakas, "They could have as many as fifty thousand defending Dunwiddie."

"It never ceases to amaze me," said Grimtrix, "just how many of you miss the point! The weapon… is all we need, your troops are expendable, our ships are expendable, and if the former princess is at large, she is making her way to the library, if we find her, we find the library, if we find the library, we find the weapon!"

Grimtrix turned to Myles and Gwen.

"Have you picked up their trail yet?"

"No Master Grimtrix, we have not," said Myles.

"What about that house in the woods."

"There's no evidence that they were ever there, sir," said Gwen, "we ransacked the place."

"But your machine failed?"

"Yes sir," said Gwen nervously, "Still working on it sir."

"I suggest you finish it quickly, along with the many other projects you've promised us; just remember, Colonel Anderson, your continued long-term existence in this world depends on your being able to build more Nuclear Weapons, fail at this, and… well I suppose we don't have much use for you do we?" She nodded nervously, Grimtrix turned to Myles, "The couple that own that home, General Myles."

"The Grahams?"

"Hang them!"

Myles looked stunned, "but sir there's no evidence…"

"From now on the story will be that they harbored the fugitives and their execution will provide an example to any of the people who might likewise decide to display such bravery."

"What about the children, sir?"

"They're not my children, I don't care what you do with them," said Grimtrix who turned to leave the shack. Once he reached the door, he turned back to General Kazinstakas.

"General I want you to end this siege, tomorrow."

"Sir?" asked Kazinstakas.

"I believe you heard me, General," Grimtrix said, "I want every single soldier we have sent at a single point in that trench in one, massive attack, I want them to break the siege and overrun that town, and I want it done tomorrow, we need a testing ground for the weapon!"

Kazinstakas nodded.

"Master Grimtrix," said Gwen, "I'll need to examine the weapon before we use it, I'll need to see it before I can build more of them."

"You'll have your chance Colonel, but I suggest you work quickly," Grimtrix left.


	18. Chapter 17: The Laboratory

The Had to move fast, and yet carefully, they could hear soldiers moving all around them. Mulenik was an expert in this kind of hide-and-seek, he'd done it before during the Russivian Revolution. Sofia and Cedric were quick studies. It would have been easier had it been summer and there was more vegetation to hide behind, but they made use of whatever nooks or crannies the forest could afford them. Cedric carried the precious book in a leather satchel tied around his shoulders.

Only Sofia knew where they were going, but it was still more difficult than she remembered as she used to simply go there by flight or secret passage in the castle, or if she happened to be in the woods, she would simply walk in a straight line. Unfortunately, they had to change directions every few minutes.

"How much further?" huffed Cedric as they hid in a small forest cave.

"About fifteen miles," huffed Sofia, they were exhausted.

"We can't make that before nightfall, but the cover of darkness will help," said Mulenik. "And since we won't be able to build a fire, we'll need to keep moving in order to keep warm."

Mulenik stuck his head up, and then back down.

"There's a clearing ahead, looks like there's soldiers there," said Mulenik, "we'll have to maneuver around to the left. One at a time, light foot, meet at that large rock formation," Mulenik pointed about three hundred yards away from them.

"Cedric, you first."

There was a pause as Cedric readied himself.

"Go"

Cedric ran as hard as he could before diving behind the rock formation.

"Sofia!"

Sofia ran as well. As she approached the rock formation, she suddenly stopped as, through the corner of her eye caught what was going on in the clearing. A group of soldiers in Enchancian Republican Uniform were standing around a makeshift gallows from which hung Mr. and Mrs. Graham.

"NO!" screamed Sofia.

This alerted them to their presence.

"Oh shit!" said Mulenik to himself.

The soldiers near the gallows raised their muskets and wasted no time opening fire. One ball struck sofia in her shoulder. She screamed as she fell to into Mulenik's arms who had already run up to her. Mulenik scooped her into his arms and took off with Cedric trailing behind. Cedric produced his family wand and sent a spark flying toward the ground which produced an explosion that sent all of the soldiers flying back.

This gave the three precious moments to escape, but the damage was done. As the soldiers struggled to recover from Cedric's blast, General Myles came up behind them. He walked a about a hundred paces ahead of the soldiers where he knelt down beside a few small drops of blood. He had seen Sofia and her companions, he knew the general direction in which they were heading, and at least one of them was wounded.

During the Night, Sofia leaned against a tree, grimacing in pain as Mulenik tied a piece of his cloak around her wounded shoulder.

"You are so lucky it was a graze, if that ball had lodged in your shoulder I don't have a clue what we'd do."

"I'm sorry."

There was a pause, Sofia teared up.

"The Grahams were good people."

"I know," said Mulenik.

"And those poor children,"

"I know," said Mulenik more forcefully, "we can't help them now, and your scream sure as shit didn't help us."

This was angrier than Sofia had ever seen Mulenik. Mulenik stood up.

"On your feet," said Mulenik, "Let's go."

Sofia was angry at him. She was not one of his soldiers, and she had proved herself in battle before.

There was no sign of any soldiers all that night. Sofia's directions, plus Mulenik's twists and turns put them about five miles away, they would reach the Library the next morning.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Myles stood in the woods, two soldiers stood on each side of him. Gwen approached.

"The gizmo spiders can't find anything. I think the fugitives might have headed east."

"Anderson, are you deliberately trying to mislead us, or are you just that stupid."

"Sir?"

"There's something, I've been thinking about, the spider just so happened to break down in that house, and you clearly ignore obvious signs such as the presence of footprints to the west."' Myles turned to face Gwen, he was less than a foot away from her. "They were in that house that morning weren't they."

Sir…"

Myles backhanded Gwen across the face, hard. Gwen fell to one knee, grimacing in pain.

"If we didn't need you alive to build weapons, I'd hang you to a tree, right here, right now."

"How can we do this," said Gwen, she was crying. "They're our friends, we've worked with them, celebrated holidays with them..."

"Times change," said Myles, "and if you cannot adapt you will not survive, now get on your feet,"

Gwen stood up.

"I'm going to forget this," said Myles, "but one more hint of treachery and weapons or no weapons, I will have you executed."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The next morning came. As they walked through the woods they began to hear loud booming in the distance toward Dunwiddie.

"Cannonfire," said Sofia, "More than usual."

"They might be trying to finally break the siege," said Mulenik.

The distant cannons continued as they approached the tall hollow tree which now was completely hollowed out. There were no doors into it as there didn't need to be, the interior of the tree was open to the elements, and completely bare. No screen, no books, no shelves, no indication that there had ever been a library there.

"This is where it used to be," said Sofia, "The First Storykeeper destroyed it like he said."

"How do we get to the atrium?" asked Mulenik.

"It's this way."

Sofia led them to the door that she had previously ignored for years, the door that the First Storykeeper showed her the day the castle fell. The door was the only thing left of the library in the old tree. Sofia opened it and found the same metal staircase, but everything was dark. She produced Cedric's wand, while Cedric produced his family wand.

"Lux," they both said, generating light from their wands' ends. As they walked down, none of the round oil-less lanterns were lit, and none of the screens displayed anything. Other than the wand light it was pitch black."

"I know how to turn this place on," said Cedric, as he walked over to a numbered keypad. He unslung the satchel he carried and produced the book. He turned the book to a page near the middle, and pressed numbers on the keypad, after which the entire room lit up, including the displays.

"I thought I wasn't understanding it, that's why it was taking so long," said Cedric, "but it was all codes."

"Can you get us to the weapon?" asked Sofia.

"I can do better than that," said Cedric excitedly, "I can destroy it."

Cedric walked over to a door, turned the book a few pages, and then punched keys on a pad next to the door, causing it to open.

The three of them walked into a large room filled with metal tables, lighted displays, various equipment, including beakers, test tubes and other equipment the three of them recognized.

"This is a laboratory," said Mulenik.

"The First Storykeeper was a physicist who worked on Nuclear Weapons," said Sofia.

Mulenik and Sofia's eyes were drawn toward to the huge collection of books on metallic shelves.

"Impressive Collection," said Mulenik, "When this is all over, I'd love to come down here and study these books."

Mulenik was then attracted to one book in particular, he pulled it off the shelf.

"I've never seen a full copy," said Mulenik, "this book right here, could very well change the way we understand the history of the ancients."

"What is it?" asked Sofia.

"Same book we've been quoting all along."

"How can you tell? I thought you couldn't read Ancient English."

"Only a little bit."

"I hate to interrupt your little study session," said Cedric.

"Right, of course," Said Mulenik, "one thing that I keep wondering about is, among all of this: where's the weapon?"

"I don't know," replied Cedric as Sofia found herself attracted to another, much larger door. There were very large letters in Ancient English above it and a strange symbol on it.

"Cedric," said Sofia, "would you know how to open this one?"

Cedric approached with the book and, again opened the door with a code on the keypad. This door lead into a cavernous room with a tall, massive cylindrical cone standing vertically in front of them.

"This is it," said Sofia, "I've seen this before in the Library, this is the last weapon."

"It's one large rocket," said Mulenik, "The weapon itself would be on the tip."

"We have to get it down from there," said Cedric.

"How?" asked Sofia.

Cedric went back into the laboratory and approached one of the lighted displays. He laid the book down beside the display and again punched something into the keypad. They heard a loud alarm and another series of loud clanging noises. A group of lights behind a glass wall suddenly opened, and through what looked like a kind of tube in this room, what was the tip of the missile lowered onto a kind of table. The same strange symbol that had been on the door leading into the missile was also on the door to this room. The tip of the missile was only eight feet long, and about two feet in diameter.

Using the book, Cedric then opened the door to this room, and all three of them entered. They stood surrounding the last weapon. Their faces bore a mix of respect, amazement, and rage.

"Amazing," said Mulenik, "This small device could wipe out an entire city."

The amazement in his voice caused a slight concern in Sofia's mind. It was too much awe for her comfort. She had to check.

"What do you want to do with it?"

"Destroy it," said Mulenik in a voice of quiet rage.

"Glad we're on the same page," Said Cedric.

"Just how do we do that?" asked sofia

"That's just it," said Cedric, "we have to open up the casing and expose the core."

"Then let's do it," said Mulenik

"Uranium 235 is radioactive, it will produce the same kind of sickness that killed so many of the ancients after the Apocalypse."

"I thought our ancestors developed an immunity," said Mulenik.

"Somewhat, but there's an awful lot of the stuff in there," said Cedric.

"We have to do it," said Sofia, "and we have to do it now."

Cedric opened the large book, read from it, then opened a small panel in the weapon exposing a numeric keypad. Cedric pressed a combination of numbers into the keypad, but instead of opening the weapon casing, one of the larger displays activated, showing the face of the First Storykeeper, as young as Sofia had seen him in the vision on the screen months ago. The storykeeper spoke but she didn't understand what he was saying. He was speaking Ancient English. She wondered why she could understand him that time months ago. Cedric scrambled for his journal and produced a pin.

"Can you understand him?" asked Sofia.

"Shh!" said Cedric as he wrote quickly.

Sofia noticed that, while the storykeeper was young, he also somehow looked old. His hair was graying and receding, and he seemed very tired. She didn't understand his words, but she could tell he was very sad.

As she watched the display, Sofia caught something out of the corner of her eye through the opened door into the main room of the library. She walked out to find a large bin full of sparkling dust. Mulenik followed her. She placed her hand into the dust and took a hand-full.

"Pixiedust," said Sofia.

"Fairies?" asked Sofia.

The screen showed the First Storykeeper on displays in the main room. She then saw something she immediately recognized on the displays. It was floating in the distance behind a man whose voice gave himself away as the young First Storykeeper, but was wearing a strange yellow suit that covered his entire body. He occasionally looked at the floating land-masses that Sofia recognized as the Mystic Isles.

On the display, the be-suited First Storykeeper knelt down to the ground showing mounds of pixie dust all around. He picked up a handful of it and threw it to a bare spot of ground atop which suddenly grew fresh vegetation. The First Storykeeper then took off the mask of his suit. Sofia found this odd as she thought it would expose him to the radiation surrounding him.

After about ten minutes the displays went blank.

"Cedric, did you understand that?" asked Sofia.

Sofia and Mulenik came to stand just outside the doorway leading into the room in which the weapon was. Cedric stood in this room beside the weapon. Cedric seemed distant in thought. He nodded, though.

"What is it?" Asked Sofia, "can we still destroy the weapon?"

"Oh yes, we can destroy the weapon" said Cedric, "but I'm not sure that we should."

"What do you mean, this is the last nuclear weapon…"

"That's the thing, Sofia," Cedric interrupted, "In a sense, I'm not sure that it is."

"What do you mean?" asked Mulenik.

Cedric spoke slowly as if he was figuring it out as he went along, "Intelligent beings have learned how to build these things, and once you learn something, you can't unlearn it."

"Well, obviously, we have to destroy the book that Mengele gave Grimtrix at the submarine," said Mulenik.

"No, it's more than that," said Cedric, "It's the human problem, or rather the problem of intelligent life period; people seek power and lack the moral maturity to use it responsibly; it's just like me with the amulet. It's only a matter of time before we learn how to build these things again, even if it takes centuries, all destroying this weapon and Grimtrix' instructions will do is delay the inevitable."

"So what, I'd rather delay it than experience it, Sir!" said Mulenik incredulously, "let this be the next generation's problem!"

"Yes, I understand," said Cedric, "But what if… Oh, the man was a genius, but I don't think he realized just how important was what he discovered…" 

"What is it, Cedric," asked Sofia.

"What if, he discovered a way to make it so that these things would never work again, that they'd be completely obsolete… forever?" Cedric was now smiling as if he'd figured out something that was so simple that he should have known it all along. "We could do more than destroy the last weapon, we could wipe out the ability to ever construct these terrible machines again."

"How?" asked Sofia.

"You'd have to change the laws of physics," said Mulenik.

"Exactly," said Cedric, "The fact that the Mystic Isles float in midair was, by the physics of the First Storykeeper's day, impossible, but…"

"I'm afraid I can't let you continue," said General Myles' voice from the other end of the laboratory.

Sofia and Mulenik spun around to see Myles, Gwen, and eight soldiers, four on each side of them.

"Thank you for leading us to the Library," said Myles, "Grimtrix and the Republic are in your debt, and because of that, I have an offer for you."

"I have nothing to say to you, traitor," said Sofia with an enraged look on his face.

"I'm not going to try to make you understand why I've done what I've done." Said Myles. "You wouldn't get it anyways, you've always been so spoiled, you and your brother and your sister. None of you deserved any of the privileges you had growing up. I had hope for you, Sofia, because you weren't born into Royalty, but as I watched you grow up, I saw you turn into the same kind of brat as your brother and sister."

"You stood up to be counted against everything you swore to protect, I don't give a damn what you think!" said Sofia

"It's over, Princess, Dunwiddie has fallen," said Myles, "and, I'm going to make you an offer that will save your life, and that of your friends. Surrender the weapon and declare your allegiance to the Republic of Enchancia, and you will not be harmed."

"Go to hell," said Sofia.

Myles walked up to Sofia slowly, when he arrived in front of her, he backhanded her across the face. She stayed on her feet but winced in pain.

"I've been waiting to do that for a long time," said Myles, "I'm going to enjoy watching you hang."

The door to the room in which were Cedric and the weapon closed suddenly, an alarm sounded accompanied by a female voice in Ancient English that none but Cedric could understand. Through the glass they could see Cedric who had opened the casing of the weapon to expose a solid, flat-silver metallic object that was perfectly round.

Cedric was beginning to shake, he was showing signs of being very sick. Sofia understood immediately what Cedric was doing. He would rather destroy the weapon and delay the inevitable than experience it, as Mulenik has said. Perhaps what Mulenik said earlier about the moral law of the universe was right, perhaps whoever came next would stop the next weapon, for now, no one would use this one.

"Cedric!" shouted Sofia.

Cedric grabbed a screwdriver from a table and used to, with difficulty, scoop out the silver sphere, which fell to the floor. Cedric had a satisfied look on his face as he too collapsed to the floor.

"No!" shouted Sofia.

"Grimtrix will kill us," said Myles.

"I can fix it," said Gwen, "I just need to get in there."

"Gwen!" Shouted Sofia.

"I've made my choice, Sofia," said Gwen, "I'm sorry."

"I'm sorry too."

The door to the room in which sat the weapon suddenly opened. Out stumbled a very-ill Cedric. In one hand, he carried his journal, in the other, his family wand and with a wave of it, he caused a massive explosion in laboratory, sending Myles, Gwen, and their troops to the ground. In the confusion, Cedric closed the door to the weapon. Mulenik stole Myles' pistol, took Cedric around the shoulder and helped him leave the laboratory as the three of them escaped.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

There were surprisingly few soldiers outside of the library. Cedric took care of them with a flick of his wand. The three of them set off toward the woods. There were soldiers out looking for them, tracking them, it was only a matter of time before they were caught. When they reached a small thicket about a mile away from the library, they stopped for a moment, Cedric collapsed onto the ground.

"Cedric!" said Sofia!.

"It's okay," said Cedric, "It's okay."

Cedric handed Sofia his journal.

"Take it!"

He was struggling to breathe.

"I've just delayed them" said Cedric, "but you can end this."

Cedric placed his hand on Sofia's cheek as she look down into his eyes.

Cedric whispered, "thank you, for saving me from myself."

Cedric stopped breathing, shook for a moment, laid his head back and rested.

"Cedric," whispered Sofia as they heard soldiers in the distance.

"Come on, Sofia, we have to go," said Mulenik.

Sofia hesitated.

"Come on!"

Mulenik lifted Sofia to her feet and the two of them ran. Just how far or how long they ran, Sofia wasn't exactly sure. They came to a spot by a river.

"There still coming," said Mulenik.

Sofia was distracted by her grief, she wasn't paying attention.

"Sofia!" said Mulenik.

Her head snapped to attention as she looked into Mulenik's eyes.

"I… I can't lose anymore friends," she began "… I…"

Mulenik pulled sofia into an embrace.

"Sofia listen to me," said Mulenik, "You know what to do, you know what Cedric wanted you to do, you have his journal, you can end this; make it so that no one else has to die."

Sofia nodded in tears.

"You need to stay out of sight, and make your way back to the library," said Mulenik.

"What about you?"

"I'm going to lead them away."

Sofia knew what this meant.

"I can't lose you too," she said.

Mulenik paused and smiled, "no one's ever really lost," he said calmly, Sofia smiled for the briefest moment as she remembered Clover saying the same thing.

"Ariana… Lucinda was right about you in every way… It has been an honor knowing you these past few months."

Sofia wrapped her arms around him in a tearful hug.

"Wait here for another hour or so," He smiled at her, "good luck, God bless you."

Mulenik took off up river, pistol in hand.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Mulenik ran hard through the snowy woods, making bird noises as he went. He could hear the sounds of musket-fire behind him. It was working, they were following him. Hopefully they thought Sofia was with him. As he came to a clearing, he stopped suddenly as a group of Corinthian and We Ling soldiers stood in front of him, at their center was Grimtrix. Mulenik panted, catching his breath.

"Andreas Mulenik," said Grimtrix. "Surrender, and tell us where the former princess is!"

"Well," said Mulenik, "If you'd like to surrender to me, I guess I accept."

"Your legendary sense of humor will not save you, Mulenik," said Grimtrix. "But I have no desire to harm you. You're the most brilliant political theorist of our time, I want you to join me, your talents are wasted among… democrats."

"I don't supposed the words 'Go fuck yourself,' mean anything to you!"

"Your death is such a waste, pity, I give you one last chance to accept my offer."

"I got a better idea," Mulenik had regained his composure and stopped panting, "How 'bout a duel, just the two of us, winner take all, what-do-ya-say?"

Grimtrix walked forward to him. At about five paces away, Grimtrix looked him in the eyes. He then looked down and Mulenik's hand shaking as it held a pistol at his side.

"Wouldn't be a fair fight," said Grimtrix.

Grimtrix turned around to return to his soldiers. As he did that, across the clearing, Mulenik saw something that… It couldn't be. It was only out of the corner of his eye, but he could have sworn it was her. He began to hear her voice.

"Let go my love."

He wasn't sure if it was only in his imagination, but it gave him peace. He saw Lucinda's face on the North Tower in Arendelle, this time she was hold him over the inferno.

"Ariana," he whispered.

"Let go," said Lucinda. "It'll be okay, I love you, and I'll see you on the other side."

Mulenik imagined himself letting go and falling not toward the inferno but into a deep release. His hand relaxed for the first time while holding a pistol. He raised it and aimed at Grimtrix. He never got a shot off as a musket-ball from one of the soldiers struck his chest. As he fell, images came to his mind. Happy memories of he and Lucinda. Their wedding, making love, swimming together in the lake near their home in Russivia.

He didn't feel himself hitting the ground. He looked up into the cloudy sky, and into his field of vision, looking down into his eyes with a smile was his wife.

"He's dead, sir," said one of the soldiers.

Grimtrix sighed, "fan out, look for the former princess."

The soldiers scattered, by now he was joined by Gwen and Myles.

"Take me to the library."


	19. Chapter 18: Breaking the Siege

It was still dark on the same morning that Sofia, Cedric, and Mulenik found the library. Dunwiddie was unusually quiet. Different parts of the trench system reported almost no contact with the enemy all afternoon, and James and Ruby decided to spend a night away from the trench. They lay together in a makeshift sleeping bag by a dying fire in the front room of the house in which Ruby grew up. Her mother was spending the night on the trenches. The couple's muskets lay against the wall not far away.

They made love the previous night but James was already awake, and decided to see if Ruby would be interested. He rolled over and threw his arm around her bare chest, kissing her cheeks. She awoke slowly and reciprocated by kissing his lips. Grabbing his face with her hands, she signalled her interest. The couple made love again, and then lay awake in silence, staring into each other's eyes. There was nothing more to say. The sky was turning from black to blue as the first rays of the sun were beginning to show over the horizon.

"I'm pregnant, James," said Ruby.

James smiled, his heart beat faster, he began to laugh and then kiss Ruby even deeper. He never wanted this moment to end.

A large explosion somewhere outside shook the house. Ruby and James rushed to dress, grabbed their muskets, and met Sir Finnegan outside.

"It's only one section of the trench, your Majesty, looks like their throwing everything they've got at us!"

"They're trying to break the siege," Said James. "Ruby get down to the shelter."

"The hell with that," said Ruby.

"Ruby you're…" James hesitated, placing his hand on her stomach.

"James, I can still fight, and I'm not sitting this out; it's my choice, not yours."

James nodded, and the two of them ran with Finnegan toward the section of the trench at which the artillery was aimed. Finnegan shouted at a runner.

"Have everyone we have to the south end of the end of the trench, leave only a company at each other end!"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

General Kazinstakas stood atop a hill overlooking the town to the North, he was looking through a hand-held telescope, a mass of fifty thousand soldiers stood in front of him in ranks, waiting to march. The artillery was to the south, they would have no artillery cover, but it looked like their gambit was working. James was redeploying his forces in the direction of the artillery. Forty or so thousand Enchancians would take on a mere battalion of Wei Ling troops to the south, while entire mass of Wei Ling and Corinthian troops would attack the north side of the trench and then attack James' forces from behind.

Kazinstakas turned to a runner, "have the Wei Ling battalion begin their attack.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

James, Ruby, Finnegan, Hugo, and the trench defenders heard the drums and piccolos in the distance. The enemy was marching forward. Ruby and James leaned against the front of the trench flanked by Sir Finnegan and hundreds of others. Hugo did the same with the remaining fifty or so Russivian Soldiers. Finnegan lifted his head above the trench wall and looked forward with a hand-held telescope.

"Something's wrong, your majesty," Said Finnegan. "That can't be more than a couple hundred troops advancing on us. Their wasting and awful lot of artillery to defend a mere battalion."

"Our redeployments!" said James.

"It's a diversion!" said Ruby.

"Everyone redeploy out of the trench!" said James.

"Whereto?" asked Finnegan.

"What's left of the buildings, we'll use them as cover, this just became a street-fight."

"REDEPLOY!" shouted Finnegan as thousands left the trenches and made their way into the buildings, finding cover from which they could engage the enemy.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"They're redeploying to the town," said Kazinstakis, "It didn't work."

"They're now out in the open," said one of his Colonels.

"Have everyone charge now, make for the the center of the city; they'll use what's left of the buildings as cover so burn them out!

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The one Battalion to the south and the rest of the Corinthian and Wei Ling Forces marched at double-time into the city. They started dropping as Enchancians and Russivians started firing from near-hidden positions inside the city buildings. About half of the Enchancians formed ranks throughout the town and engaged the enemy in hand-to-hand. The enemy began burning buildings as they came to them, leading most of those who had taken cover in them to come out fighting, often meeting musket-balls as they emerged.

After about ten minutes of street-to-street fighting, the last core of Enchancians and Russivians, including James, Ruby, Finnegan, and Hugo were fighting surrounded in the city center. James noticed a group of enchancians surrender as he saw what appeared to be a small squad of Wei Ling Soldiers charging at him. He threw his musket to the ground and drew his father's old sword.

Screaming at the top of his lungs he single handedly counter-charged. With his sword he batted away one of the bayonets and began slashing into the Wei Ling troops. He killed five of them before he heard Finnegan's voice yelling for him.

"JAMES! JAMES! STOP!"

A musket-ball finally tore into James right shoulder and lodged there, taking him to the ground. Finnegan jumped atop James protecting him from the approaching Wei Ling troops.

"James," Said Finnegan, "It's over, we've surrendered, it's over."

"It's not over!"

"James."

"We have to keep fighting!"

"JAMES!" Finnegan's shouting brought James to his senses as he noticed he and Finnegan surrounded by Wei Ling Soldiers aiming muskets at them. All around them were Enchancians with their hands up, surrounded by enemy troops. Amid this reality check James began to sob. "You're the king, James, you have to survive, if there's any hope that we can rebuild after this, you have to survive."

Amid sobs James said, "I… I can't remember what my parents and sisters look like."

James broke down in tears, Finnegan pulled him in for an embrace, crying himself. Finnegan stood up, taking James by the shoulder that had not been shot. The Wei Ling and Corinthian soldiers were directing the survivors to the center of the main square. Enchancian and Russivian Soldier were throwing muskets, pistols, crossbows, and swords to the ground. James met Ruby and her mother who took him in an embrace; they appeared unharmed. Ruby immediately began treating James' shoulder. Hugo stood with his remaining Russivian Soldiers (about forty of them), surrounded by Corinthian troops.

General Kazinstakas came to the square, stood atop a platform and addressed the crowd.

"You have all fought very well," he said quite genuinely. "You have earned the respect of the entire world, there's no shame in your surrender today."

Several Corinthian and Wei Ling Soldiers began handing out blankets and food.

"I wish to speak with King James," said Kazinstakas.

James walked with difficulty to the platform, grasping his shoulder looking very weak and pale. Kazinstakas walked off of the platform, walked up to James and extended his hand, James didn't take it.

"Get this man a doctor," ordered Kazinstakas.

"I have my own physician," said James.

"As you wish," Replied Kazinstakas, "I'm Stavros Kazinstakas, I knew your father, he was a good man."

James scowled at him.

"We need to evacuate the town, Grimtrix is going to use it to test his weapon," said Kazinstakas.

"It's all these people have," said James.

"It's a bunch of ruins," said Kazinstakas, "there's nothing left, it's hardly even a good testing ground anymore."

There was a pause, James and Kazinstakas stared at each other.

"Your people are strong, they'll rebuild and recover," said Kazinstakas.

"No thanks to you."

Kazinstakas sighed, "I know, I'm sorry. Our terms are thus, Surrender yourself, your wife, your sister and her husband, the Sorcerer Cedric, the Knight Finnegan, and the traitor Mulenik to us for trial for war crimes. The rest will be allowed to resettle and begin life anew in the new Republic of Enchancia. We've set up a temporary camp for them ten miles to the north for now."

"If I refuse?"

"Then I'm afraid no one will survive to rebuild."

James laughed.

"There's a problem," he said, "I don't know where my sister is, or Cedric, or Mulenik."

"And if you did?"

"I wouldn't tell you."

"That's alright," said Kazinstakas, "I believe you when you say that you don't know where they are. We'll find them."

"I hope you don't."

Kazinstakas nodded.

"Under these terms," said James, "I surrender Enchancia to you."

"Take him, the Queen, Hugo the Russivian, and the Knight, Finnegan into custody."

Two soldiers for each of them arrived beside them, taking each of them by the shoulders except James, whose soldiers simply stood beside him on each side. Ruby's Mother protested as two Wei Ling Soldiers held her back.

"The rest of you will be evacuated," Kazinstakas announced, "please proceed north in an Orderly fashion."

"Do as he says," James announced to the crowd, "You won't be harmed!"

Reluctantly, the remaining people and now-unarmed soldiers began reluctantly heading north. Soldiers brought Hugo, Ruby, and Finnegan to the platform by James, where Kazinstakas addressed them.

"James, King of Enchancia; Ruby, Queen of Enchancia; Hugo, pretender to the throne of Russivia; Sir Finnegan, Knight of the Order of the Enchancian Kingdom, I arrest you all for Crimes of War and Crimes against the Republic. You will be granted fair trial. Conviction will result in a sentence of death by hanging."

"General, my wife is pregnant," said James.

"Very well then, I give you my personal assurance that she will be executed until after she has given birth," said Kazinstakas, "we're not murderers."

"You sure work for them," James replied.

"Take them away," said Kazinstakas.


	20. Chapter 19: Countdown

When she was sure that those who were looking for her had given up, Sofia found both Cedric and Mulenik's bodies and buried them together in a small clearing in the woods. With her wand she carved into a large rock…

_Cedric the Great, Sorcerer, Hero of Enchancia_

_Andreas Dimitrivich Mulenik, Hero of the Republic_

She stood looking at the grave. She felt more alone than she had ever felt, and truly hopeless. She knew more or less what needed to be done, and she knew that the same radiation that killed Cedric would kill surely kill her. Agreeing with Mulenik that she had earned the right to be somewhat selfish, she was angry. She would do what had to be done, but she wanted a fuller life, and she was enraged that she wouldn't get one, it was so unfair.

Then as she hid in a cave, reading Cedric's notes, everything changed. She had to commit them to memory if she was going to make it back to the Library stealthily. She now fully understood what had to be done, and she could do it without exposing herself to radiation. For the first time in months she felt a sense of hope for herself. She could make it.

Cedric sacrificed himself to buy time, but if Myles and Gwen hadn't arrived when she did, he could have done it all without harming himself.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Grimtrix arrived in the Laboratory as soldiers placed Gwen's lifeless body on a stretcher and carried it out. Myles watched almost feeling sorry for her, she proved her loyalty afterall, and was felled by radiation as she fixed the weapon. The book that Mengele had given Grimtrix was recovered from the room in which sat the weapon and was placed on a table in the laboratory's main room.

"What happened."

"Cedric tried to destroy the weapon," said Myles, "she gave her life to fix it." 

Without taking a moment to notice this sacrifice, Grimtrix continued, "we have to find another engineer. That shouldn't be too big of a problem."

General Kazinstakas entered the laboratory.

"We've evacuated the people of Dunwiddie to the camp," said Kazinstakas, "We're ready to move the weapon to the city."

"From what I'm told there's hardly anything left of the city, hardly a suitable test sight," said Grimtrix, "Hide it in the camp."

Kazinstakas looked stunned.

"There's no honor in that."

"Honor?" Grmtrix replied, "are you honestly concerned with such a thing as honor?"

Kazinstakas looked enraged as Grimtrix continued.

"This is not about honor, General, this is about power, and we are going to demonstrate that the Republic that you fight for is more powerful than its enemies could ever dream."

Kazinstakas spoke softly, "You're a monster, sir."

"What did you say?"

"I didn't sign on to kill women and children, or those who had surrendered," said Kazinstakas, "Mulenik was right about you, you're no republican."

"And what about those damned moderates you told me about?" said Grimtrix, "unwilling to do what is necessary to bring the Revolution to its successful conclusion?"

"Republicanism is of the people, it doesn't kill them indiscriminately," said Kazinstakas.

"Shoot him," said Grimtrix.

Kazinstakas looked defiant as Myles produced a pistol, walked over to Kazinstakas and shot in him in the head.

"Get him out of here," said Grimtrix, "General Myles, you're in command now, I want that weapon hid in the Enchancian camp."

Myles nodded, there was some regret in his expression, but he worked hard to suppress it.

"Before she died, Anderson figured out how to use this sir," said Myles handing Grimtrix a small handheld pad. "Use the wicked tenth to arm the weapon, then use this pad to select how much time you want before it explodes."

"Not even connected to the weapon, completely remote," said Grimtrix with Amazement, "the non-magical ancients were truly amazing. Very well, General Myles, you've done well, now carry out your orders."

Myles nodded.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Sofia had wished to become a bird and as a bird now perched herself on a tree near the library. She saw several soldiers placing the last weapon on an uncovered carriage to be pulled by two flying horses. They had removed all but the most essential parts of the weapon so two people could carry it without too much difficulty. The carriage took off.

"Oh no," said Sofia to herself. She took off, following the carriage.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Guards made sure that every Enchancian stayed in their tent. The ruse was that they had to dig out an unexploded artillery shell. Grimtrix observed as two guards buried the last weapon in about three feet of dirt.

"You didn't tell all of the guards what we were doing did you?" asked Grimtrix.

"Fifty guards will remain in camp to the end, unburdened with the knowledge of what is to happen to them," replied Myles.

"Good," Said Grimtrix.

Grimtrix produced the Wicked Tenth, put it on his hand and waved it around slowly. Lights suddenly appeared on the pad that Myles had handed to him. A message in English appeared.

"The weapon is armed," said Grimtrix. "I think thirty minutes should be sufficient."

Grimtrix, Myles, and those guards who knew what was going on left.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Most of the Enchancians in the camp were in tents, Ruby, James, Hugo, and Finnegan were in a cellar under a small house, the only structure in the camp that wasn't a tent. A Doctor attended to James' wound. He looked very grave and pale. Ruby held his hand.

"I've removed the ball," said the Doctor, "Your wound is healing, but you've developed pneumonia."

James nodded, Ruby's eyes held tears.

"You have to rest," said the Doctor.

"Why?" asked, huffing James, "so I can live long enough to die in the noose."

"We don't know what's going to happen," said Ruby as the Doctor left. Ruby held his hand tightly, "something may happen to change things."

"Like what?" asked James.

"Like me," said a bird flying into the cellar through a barred window opening up to ground level at the top of the room. The amulet around the bird's neck gave her identity away as Sofia.

"Sofia!" exclaimed Ruby in a whisper.

"Don't lose hope, it's not over," said Sofia, "but I need one of your help."

"Gladly, said Hugo, "but we're not exactly going anywhere."

"Wait for it," said Sofia.

Suddenly they heard a piccolo in the distance that was accompanied by a scream of charging soldiers. The four prisoners looked surprise.

"Russivian Republicans," said Sofia the bird, "I saw them marching in as I flew overhead."

Thousands of Russivians charged behind a flag of the Republic. They weren't going to form a firing line and risk hitting the Enchancians in tents. There were only a handful of soldiers left guarding the camp, they retreated almost immediately. The Russivians now occupied the camp.

"Be right back!" said Sofia as she flew out of the small window, and then changed back into a human.

"Whose in command!?" she asked in a shout.

"I am!" shouted a Russivian Colonel approaching her with a salute, "Colonel Vassily Putin of the Russivian Republic at your service. Sorry we're late, Freezenberg rebels gave us quite a go."

"Princess Sofia of Enchancia," Sofia said introducing as the two shook hands, Sofia pointed to the small house, "Our monarchs and leadership are imprisoned in a cellar under that house."

"We'll get em out, SERGEANT, GET THAT CELLAR OPEN!"

"We have to hurry," said Sofia, "The last weapon is under this camp, and we have about twenty-five minutes before it explodes. We have to dig it out."

"Princess, if that weapon is going to explode, we should evacuate the camp…"

"NO!" shouted Sofia, "there's no time, we have to fly it away! I need a flying horse."

"You've got one Princess!" Minimus shouted as he landed right next to her. She threw her arms around him as he explained, "I saw the Russivians marching in, thought I could help."

Colonel Putin began ordering soldiers to gather with shovels, Sofia led them to the weapon. They were soon joined by the now-freed James, Ruby, Hugo and Finnegan. Sofia threw her arms around Hugo and gave him a kiss.

"Colonel I need one more horse besides Minimum tied to a flying cart," said Sofia.

"We're on it Princess," said Putin, he then turned to one of his officers, "Major, have the rest of the troops mass to the north of the camp, we're gonna drive those bastards out of this country, if any Enchancians want to join us, we've got plenty of muskets!"

"That's what I'm talking about," said James weakley.

"James you have to stay here," said Ruby.

"I'm not missing the last battle to free my people," James huffed. "It's my choice, not yours."

Ruby nodded before taking him in an embrace, "You are so stupid, do you know that!"

James then collapsed.

"Get this man into a stretcher!" ordered the colonel, "You're not coming with us, your majesty, I don't have any room for people as sick as you are, don't worry, we've got this."

The soldiers uncovered the weapon, there was a display that read "22:36" counting backwards. Numbers had not changed with language, so everyone knew exactly what it meant. By now, Minimus and another flying horse were tied up to an uncovered flying carriage, two Russivian Soldiers carried the weapon and set it in the carriage.

"Alright, Hugo, you're with me!" said Sofia.

"Gladly my love!"

Hugo and Sofia climbed atop the carriage. Ruby came to see them off.

"In case we don't get back, take care of James, make sure he stays in bed," said Sofia.

Ruby nodded smiling.

"I love you, your majesty," said Sofia, "sister!"

Ruby smiled with tears in her eyes, "I love you."

"Let's go Minimus, fast as you can!" ordered Sofia.

"Here we go!" shouted Minimus as he and the other horse jolted forward, taking off and flying toward the library.


	21. Chapter 20: Endgame

Grimtrix noticed Sofia and Hugo's carriage zooming away from the camp in the direction of the library. If they didn't have the weapon, they wouldn't have needed the carriage. At the same time he noticed thousands of Russivian and Enchancian Soldiers marching on his position about a mile away. He pointed at two Corinthian soldiers.

"You, you, bring me a carriage, now!"

The two dutifully set off.

"General Myles, send our remaining troops down to engage the enemy below."

"They outnumber three-to-one," Myles protested.

"You don't have to defeat them, you just have to hold them for another twenty minutes or so until the weapon goes off," said Grimtrix.

"Then what?" asked Myles. "Then what? So they see the explosion, they get scared, that doesn't mean they'll stop fighting, that doesn't mean they won't outnumber us. What comes after the weapon explodes?"

There was a paused.

"You have no clue do you?" said Myles in anger, "You don't know what you're doing, do you!? Except you don't have to, because it was never about us, or any Republic, or our troops, it was only ever just about your prized weapon. We were idiots, all of us, anyone who followed you, who died for you was a fucking idiot!"

"General, I do not tolerate people talking to me like that," said Grimtrix with a veneer of calm.

There was a brief standoff during which the pair starred at each other in anger.

"Colonel Tsipras," Myles broke the silence, "order our troops to surrender, it's over!"

"NO!"

With a flick of his wand, a blue shockwave sent his officer corps to their backs. He quickly boarded the carriage he sent for with the two soldiers and took off.

The officers were coming to their feet. Tsipras approached Myles, "what about him, General," he said referring to Grimix.

"Not our concern anymore, order the troops to surrender."

"Yes sir,"

Slowly, Myles retreated into a small shack that stood atop the hill from which the enemy officers watched. Standing in front of a large mirror in the front room of the shack, he began to groom his uniform, making it look as marshal and beautiful as it ever had.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Sofia and Hugo landed at the library.

"Help me," said Sofia in a hurried tone. The display on the weapon read "1709" and kept running backwards.

Sofia and Hugo picked up the weapon, it was dreadfully heavy but they could carry it between them, and carried it they did into the laboratory. Once in the laboratory, they took it into the room in which Cedric had briefly disarmed it. They set it back on the small table atop which it laid when Cedric had been working with it, after which Sofia set off for the Pixie Dust she found before.

"Okay," she began, "this is a Cobalt bomb. The ancients called it a doomsday machine. It's not designed for a large explosion, it would destroy a small town like Dunwiddie and that's about it, but it is salted with highly radioactive materials; what it will do once it goes off is spread a radioactive shroud across the entire planet, nothing would survive; Grimtrix was killing himself and he didn't even know it."

"Why would anyone build such a thing?" asked Hugo.

"We can discuss philosophy later," said Sofia, "right now, I need your canteen."

"My canteen?"

"Do it!"

Hugo handed Sofia his canteen. She proceeded to empty it on her arms after which she immersed her arms in pixie dust. She then handed her canteen back to Hugo…

"This'll protect me from the radiation when I open up the weapon," she said, "now I want you to fill up your canteen, and I mean fill it all the way up with pixie dust."

Hugo had a confused look on his face.

"Go now!" ordered Sofia as she went back into the room where the weapon was, punched numbers she committed to memory into a keypad that closed the door. She immediately set to work, doing exactly what Cedric had done, she opened up the bomb casing, but unlike Cedric, she didn't pull back the explosive charges that surrounded the sphere of Uranium 235."

She then went to the glass that separated herself from Hugo, she pressed a button and spoke into what looked like a collection of very tiny holes.

"Alright, Hugo, is it full yet."

"Yes."

"Seal it, tight! There can't be any dust exposed to the core before it explodes."

Hugo screwed his canteen shut tightly. Sofia punched a few buttons causing what looked like a small box to open from the base of the glass that separated them.

"Now bring it to me!"

Hugo set the canteen the box. Sofia punched another few buttons causing it to retract. She then, as if by magic retrieved the canteen on her side.

"Now go! I need you to watch for Grimtrix, if he arrives, you know what to do!"

Hugo turned to go, but before leaving he turned back.

"Sofia, you're not destroying the weapon are you?"

"No, I'm going to use it."

"You said that when this thing goes off it'll spread sickness all over the planet!"

"Hugo, I know what I'm doing, and I will explain later, now go."

There was a very brief pause before Hugo said, "you are coming out of there right?"

"I'm not dying today, my love!" Sofia said with genuine resolve. "Neither are you, now go! Trust me!"

Hugo left quickly.

Sofia had to work quickly with screwdrivers to make a space where she could slide the canteen into the casing. After which she made sure there was no pixie dust in the casing and closed it again. The display read "14:18' and kept going backwards.

She opened the door to find Grimtrix staring at her, his wand aimed at her head.

"You have interfered with me for the last time, Princess, and now I'm going to kill you."

Before he could say anything else, a musket butt came down on his head.

The Soldiers turned around as Hugo dropped the musket and retrieved two pistols, one with each hand. WIthout hesitation, before the soldiers could raise their muskets, he fired them both into the soldiers' heads.

Without hesitation, Sofia said "Help me"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

On the surface, Gugo and Sofia emerged from the laboratory to the center of the hollowed out tree, carrying the weapon as fast as they could given its heft.

"Set it right here in the middle!"

"You're sure about this?" asked Hugo.

"I'm sure," said Sofia, "It has to explode on the surface for our plan to work, the laboratory underground would seal in too much of the dust."

The display read 12:31.

"MINIMUS" shouted Sofia.

The two horses emerged from hiding.

"Do we have enough time?" asked Hugo

"It's simple math, the explosive yield is small, we only have to make about five miles in twelve minutes, those horses can fly fifty miles an hour at the fastest, forty-five during, say, a flying derby race, that's more than a mile every two minutes, plenty of time."

"What about Dunwiddie? What about the camp?"

"Eight miles away, It'll scare the hell out of them, maybe knock them off their feet, but it won't hurt them."

"I love you Sofia," said Hugo, trying to conceal his terror.

"I love you!"

The two kissed.

"Excuse me," Minimus interrupted, "but if you want me to fly five miles in twelve minutes we need to go now!"

Sofia and Hugo let go and jumped on the horses' backs; sofia on Minimus, Hugo on the other.

"You have to fly faster than you ever have, and you can't look back for a second, Go!"

The two horses took off hard into the sky.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Myles had just finished preparing himself, he looked as well-dressed as he ever had. The door opened, in walked a group of Russivians and Enchancians led by Queen Ruby and Colonel Putin. Myles calmly turned and walked toward them.

"I surrender," he said.

"Out of the way," came James' voice from behind.

James struggled through the door, walking with great difficulty past Ruby and Putin. He came up to Myles, a look of disgust on his face.

"Edward Myles," he began, speaking through huffs, "For the crime of High Treason against the Kingdom of Enchancia, I arrest you, and sentence you to death by hanging."

"My troops will be given quarter?" asked Myles.

"I'm not murderer like you," said James.

"You will make sure they are not mistreated."

"I will!"

"Good, then we have an accord."

Myles suddenly drew a pistol he had been hiding and aimed it at James. Two muskets from behind James, held by Russivian Soldiers fired, putting their balls into Myles' chest; he fell backwards.

James slowly knelt beside the fallen man. Myles struggled to breathe.

"I wanted to die this way," he said slowly, "and not suffer the indignity of the gallows."

Myles' eyes slowly closed and he stopped breathing. James stood and walked back toward Ruby, collapsing into her arms.

"James!"

James looked up into her eyes, "I love you so much, I…"

James faded into unconsciousness.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Grimtrix awoke. He stood up to find himself in the room in which Cedric had briefly dismantled the weapon. The weapon was gone. He reached for the control pad that Myles had given him, but it was nowhere on his person. Out of the corner of his eye he saw it leaning against the glass that separated one room of the Laboratory from the other. He walked toward it slowly only to discover that it was separated from him by the same glass against which it leaned.

When he saw the display on the pad, every emotion he felt suddenly became fear. He was terrified as he read…

00:06… 00:05… 00:04… 00:03… 00:02… 00:01…

The first thing he noticed was a massive shaking of the room, while the lights went off at the simultaneously. Although he could not see anything, he felt rocks and debris fall on his head, and then he felt nothing.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Everyone else had the opposite experience. Sofia and hugo saw a blinding white light; even as she and Hugo they faced away from it, they had to close their eyes. The back of their necks felt the heat of the blast. As the light faded they heard a terrible sound, like the loudest cannon they had ever imagined possible.

"KEEP FLYING!" Shouted Sofia!

She felt a massive wall of wind hit her back.

"I DON'T KNOW IF I CAN STAY AIRBORNE!" shouted Minimus.

"KEEP FLYING!"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

As the light faded over the camp, a massive cloud arose in the sky, and the horrible sound of the blast hit them. Finnegan, Ruby, and a bedridden James were transfixed by the fiery the cauliflower shaped cloud that rose into the sky. A massive wall of wind knocked Ruby and Finegan off their feet. They were unharmed, everyone in the camp was fine, a few broken bones here and there.

"Sofia," whispered James mournfully, thinking she was dead.


	22. Chapter 21: Rebirth

The air that filled her lungs with every breath had never been more pleasant. As Sofia awoke she felt a wonderful elation. She was alive! She was so grateful. She found herself lying on the ground next to Minimus; he was alright…

"Are you okay, Princess," Minimus ask.

"Yeah," said Sofia.

The other horse galloped off, wanting nothing more to do with any of them.

"Hugo!" she called out, suddenly frightened as she stood up.

"I'm okay," said Hugo, lifting himself out of the green brush that surrounded them.

That's when they both noticed it; they were surrounded by green plants and leaves. It was supposed to be mid-winter but it was actually quite warm, and green plants were all around them. Hugo and Sofia practically ran into each other's arms, kissing each other's lips deeply. When they let go, Sofia started laughing uncontrollably; she was elated.

"What happened?" asked Hugo.

"It worked," Sofia said smiling, "the same blinding, white light that has been in my nightmares for the past three months has now given new life to the whole world."

"I don't understand."

"It was the pixie dust," said Sofia, "The First Storykeeper tried to set off the weapon himself when he was in hiding after the apocalypse, but he discovered that it wouldn't work while there was the strange dust he found, and was studying, anywhere near the core, that's why we had to seal it off in your canteen. The dust neutralized the radiation and allowed new life to grow from nothing, but more than that, it actually changed the laws of physics. That's what magic is… but it wasn't widespread enough, till now, look!"

Sofia pointed at red, blue and purple lines that spread out across the sky, radiating from the cauliflower cloud that was now fading.

"The same radiation that will enshroud the Ever Realm will carry the very thing that neutralizes it, and makes it so these weapons can never be built again."

"You're sure it was a enough dust?" 

"Oh yes, more than enough," said Sofia, "Cedric's calculations were exact; it was all his idea, he saved us all."

Sofia threw herself down on her back in the green brush.

"Oh what a beautiful day!" she said.

Hugo climbed on top of her, both of them laughing.

"You know, we don't have to go back to the camp right away," said Hugo.

"Excuse me!" said Minimus

"Oh, I'm sorry, Minimus," said Sofia.

Both Sofia and Hugo laughed.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Sofia and Hugo rode back to the camp casually atop Minimus. They landed to shouts of "Princess!" and "You're alive!" Sofia and Hugo hugged and shook hands with people they'd never met. Hugo was approached by the thirty-seven Russivian soldiers left among those he'd led since the night the castle fell, they gave him a salute, a salute he quickly returned.

The same private who had jumped with Hugo into the ocean, and sat with him, warming atop the Norberg Frigate shouted "Long Live the King,"

To which Hugo responde, "Long live the Republic!"

Russivians all around them erupted in cheers and shouts of "Long Live the King," and "Long Live the Republic;" it was beautifully ideologically confused and didn't have to make sense. They came to the end of a long congratulatory procession and saw a grave-faced Sir Finnegan.

"Princess," said Finnegan, "you better come with me now."

"What is it?" aske Sofia.

"Better hurry," was all Finnegan could bring himself to say.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

James laid on a stretcher on the main floor of the same house under which was the jail cell in which they had been previously held. Ruby sat on the floor and held his hand sobbing, her mother sat behind her stroking her hair with one hand and holding her shoulder with the other. The same Doctor who had attended him while they were being held in the cell below, now stood nearby, a grave expression on his face. When Sofia entered the room, all elation left her.

James was still breathing, but with difficulty. Ruby turned to see Sofia. She let go of James' hand, stood up and walked quickly into Sofia's arms. The two of them sobbed together in an embrace.

Hugo made his way to the Doctor, "Is there nothing that can be done," he said through tears.

"I'm sorry," said the Doctor, "His wound is healing, but he's dying of pneumonia."

Sofia and Ruby knelt down together, this time it was Sofia who took James' hand. James woke up.

"Hey…" he spoke gently as he breathed heavily, "I know you…" Sofia laughed through sobbs. "When I saw the blast, I thought I'd lost you… Is it over?" asked James

"Oh yes," said Sofia, sobbing, "It's over, we won. You did it! You led us all to victory!"

James relaxed for a moment before he raised his head again.

"Sofia, take me home!" he said weakly, "take me to the castle, I want to be with Mom and Amber."

Sofia nodded, "Hugo, help me, we don't have much time."

Hugo carried James as if he was carrying an infant. Somehow, Minimus had already been tied to an open carriage. It seemed that Finnegan anticipated what James would ask for. Hugo set James on a seat in the carriage, Ruby sat down next to him in the seat facing forward, Sofia sat in front of them in the seat facing backward. Finnegan came up into the carriage and covered James with a blanket. James took his hand.

"Make sure everyone is… alright…"

"I will, Little Prince" he said through tears, "your majesty."

Finnegan kissed James on the forehead and stepped down from the carriage. As he did so, James lifted his right hand in a wave to him while Finnegan lifted his hand back.

Hugo sat in the driver's seat of the carriage, but he waited for Sofia to speak to Minimus.

"Go Minimus," she said softly.

Minimus took off.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The sun was beginning to set as the carriage flew toward the ruins of the castle. James, weak though he was, leaned over and looked down at the green leaves that covered the Earth. Even the crater where the weapon had exploded, which stood between the Dunwiddie and the remains of the castle was green with new life.

"So much life," said James, smiling, resigned. "Our country is reborn today."

Sofia looked sadly at him from the seat across from he and Ruby. Ruby held his hand as he started to shake.

"I… can't… breathe…" he whispered when he stopped shaking and relaxed.

"James?" said Ruby, "James!"

Ruby broke down sobbing, pulling James' body into an embrace. Sofia started to sob as well, as did Hugo as he faced forward. Even Minimus cried as he took the carriage closer to the castle ruins.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

It took all three of them using crowbars to open the still-standing tomb in which rested Amber and Miranda. The statue of Amber and Miranda somehow survived all of the chaos of the past months. Hugo carried James into the tomb and laid him on an empty stand atop which a casket was meant to rest. Amber and Miranda's casket still sat closed in the tomb. Hugo backed off, tears in his eyes. He grabbed Sofia's hand who took him in an embrace, while Ruby placed a freshly grown red flower in his hand and kissed his forehead amid her own sobbs. The three left the tomb and re-sealed it. They stood together staring at the tomb for what seemed like hours.

"What do I do now?" asked Ruby, still staring at the tomb.

There was a pause. None of them were crying anymore, they were so tired that they could no longer cry. It was getting dark now.

"You're the Queen of Enchancia?" said Sofia.

"No I'm not."

"Oh yes you are," said Sofia, "the law is very clear, without a grown child as heir, the first to inherit the throne is the monarch's spouse."

"What if I don't want to be."

"Well, you've got a problem," said Sofia. "I don't want the throne."

"Neither do I," said Hugo, "two months fighting with my Republican comrades have made me not want to be king of anything."

"Maybe Enchancia can be a Republic," said Ruby.

Sofia shrugged, "maybe, if Russivia is any indication, we could do worse."

"I think we should be a Republic," said Ruby, "I think our people have more than proved that we can govern ourselves."

There was silence for another several minutes.

"So that's it," said Sofia, "the last of my father's house is gone."

"What about you?" asked Hugo.

"You know that I was adopted," Sofia replied, "the last biological child of King Roland's dynasty is gone."

Ruby suddenly found her hands caressing her stomach, "that's actually not true," she said.

Sofia looked over at Ruby and saw her holding her stomach. The three of them smiled for the first time in hours. Sofia took Ruby in an embrace, when Sofia let her go, she placed her own hand on Ruby's stomach. They were unsure of exactly how to feel. They were still terribly sad at James' death and yet they were happy at the news of new life. They were grateful that at least some joy had found its way into the sadness of the moment.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The fireworks filled the night sky as Maximus and the three of them flew back to Dunwiddie. There was much to rebuild but Enchancia would worry about that tomorrow, for now live music played, fireworks launched, and the streets of what was left of Dunwiddie were filled with rejoicing Enchancians and Russivians.

Sad though they were, when they landed, Sofia, Ruby, and Hugo could not help but join the festivities. They first met Finnegan and Ruby's mother who greeted each of them with hugs through tearful smiles.

As Sofia and Hugo rested against the remains of a brick wall together, holding hands, from the corner of her eye she caught a personage whom she could swear was…

She turned her head and saw more clearly: indeed it was James, and Amber, and Tilly, her Mother Father, Jade, Lucinda, Cedric, Andreas Mulenik, and everyone else she had lost. They weren't exactly themselves, but they were there, as had been the First Storykeeper: echos, memories. She would carry them with her wherever she went.

They were still alive in her; she was happy.


	23. Epilogue

It had been a year and a half, and Sofia wasn't sure she wanted to revisit this place. She forced herself to out of a promise she had made. All of her friends who had died had been returned home to be buried with their families, except for Jade and Lucinda.

That night more than a year ago was so chaotic, she wasn't sure that it was possible to recover Lucinda and Jade, but she had to try.

The Republic of Arendelle allowed her access to the site where the Battle of the Arendelle Castle had taken place. She was accompanied by Hugo. She was still early in her pregnancy but she was starting to show. She walked hand-in-hand with Hugo only to discover that she didn't have to find Jade or Lucinda; Arendelle had already made them a home.

The castle was gone; the new Parliament building stood where its ruins used to be. In its courtyard stood statues of so many of those who had died during Arendelle's occupation by Grimtrix and Greylock.

There was a beautiful marker over the mass grave where Grimtrix's supporters had buried the people they executed. At the top of the marker read _"Those who died for a Free Arendelle."_ Listed were the names of those who were known to have been buried there. Among the names were _"Ariana Lucinda Kharamova Mulenika (Republic of Russivia),"_ and "_Jade Antonia Thatcher (Kingdom of Enchancia)."_

The marker of Jade's country as "Kingdom of Enchancia," was appropriate as Enchancia had elected to remain a Monarchy, though it became a Constitutional Monarchy. Queen Ruby served as ceremonial Head of State while a Prime Minister served as Head of Government, who was him/herself chosen by an elected parliament. Ruby would never have agreed to remain Queen had it been any other way.

Past the marker were statues of people known to have fought and/or died under the tyranny of Grimtrix and Greylock. A very-well kept garden of beautiful flowers grew among the statues. Prominent among the statues was one of both Queen Elsa and her sister, Anna. Elsa stood crowned as Queen of Arendelle, while Anna held a flag of the Republic; the two stood arm-in-arm, at peace with one another.

Among the statues was Lucinda, smiling with her wand raised. At the foot of her statue was a plaque that read

_Ariana Lucinda Kharamova Mulenika_

_Hero of the Republic_

"_I have fought the good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith!"_

Finally, they found a statue of Jade. Jade smiled as Sofia remembered her smiling as a child. At the food of her statue, the plaque read.

_Jade Antonia Thatcher_

_Enchancia, Enchancia, come hear our humble call_

_Enchancia, Enchancia, a Land for one and all... _

_May she who died far from home, rest in power among the grateful people of Arendelle who have adopted her as their own._

Sofia and Hugo were content. Lucinda and Jade were exactly where they should be. Home.

The End


End file.
